


Riverdale's Shadow: A Bughead Mystery

by Night_Hawk94



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017), bughead - Fandom
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fluff, Investigations, Love Stories, Murder, Mystery Stories, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2018-12-22 23:38:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 49,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11977530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Night_Hawk94/pseuds/Night_Hawk94
Summary: With Jason's murder solved, Betty and Jughead soon find themselves caught up in another mystery after a former and renowned Blue and Gold journalist: Emma Monroe turns up dead and a dangerous presence sweeps over the small town of Riverdale.





	1. A Meeting At Midnight

Jughead Jones readjusted himself so that his arms were draped over the back of the bench and his head was tilted up towards the sky. In the late hours of the evening the small town of Riverdale was quiet and still, the freshly fallen snow untouched. Just the way he liked it. He closed his eyes and drank in the silence, not caring as the cold wind nipped at his cheeks. He stayed like that for a few minutes before he checked the time on his phone. It was almost midnight which meant that she was almost here. 

Wearing a smile he slumped back against the bench and looked out towards the far end of park. Even though street lamps stood nearby, the area was only barely visible. Not that Jughead needed the light, he knew the park like the back of his hand thanks to the countless times he had visited it as a child. However, these days the park felt like the rest of Riverdale felt to him, completely strange.

Ever since the tragic death of Jason Blossom and the secrets that came to light soon after, nothing had been the same in Riverdale. It was almost as if it's innocence had been chased away by some unspeakable horror, that continued to manifest in the distinct darkness. These days many of the residents had a constant sense of discomfort hanging over their heads as they slowly started to see that this was no longer 'The town with Pep'. 

As the seconds ticked by Jughead found himself focusing on the dark spaces between the light and he started to wonder if there actually was something in there, watching and waiting, when he suddenly felt a hand grip his shoulder, making him jump up from his seat. 

"Whoa, Juggie it's just me!" said a familiar voice. Jughead let out a heavy sigh as Betty Cooper came into focus. She was as she always was, slender and beautiful with her blonde hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. Just the sight of her was enough to calm his nerves. 

"Sorry," he chuckled, placing his hand over his chest, "I didn't see you." 

"I'll say," said Betty, "You were so out of it you didn't even hear me calling you." She took a step closer to him and carefully straightened his grey, crown shaped beanie. She kept her eyes focused on him as she did, wearing a look that was both amused and slightly concerned.

"So jumpy," she said "Wanna tell me what that was all about?"

"What?" replied Jughead, "That was nothing ..." he trailed off when he saw Betty raise her eyebrows at him and quickly continued, "I mean ... it's silly" 

"Try me" she said, wrapping her arms around him. Jughead shook his head and smiled, knowing full well that he couldn't resist her. 

"I .... I .. felt like I was being watched" he eventually admitted. As he spoke he saw Betty's lips pull into a wide, jokey smile. 

"Hey, I'm being serious!" he scolded playfully which only made her smile even more and giggle in response. 

"So what, you think my mom's out here somewhere?" She asked, looking around curiously herself. 

He smirked, "Knowing our luck, the whole town's probably watching us right now." 

Betty's laughter filled the air and the sound of it was definitely the best thing Jughead had heard all day. God he loved her. He loved everything about her and this obvious reality was a shock to everyone including himself. How did 'Nancy Drew, the perfect girl next door' end up with 'Donnie Darko from the wrong side of tracks'? It was a thought that he had pondered for a long time, ever since the day he'd kissed her in her room. 

Over the course of his life, Jughead had always made a point of not paying too much attention to girls, but came to the realization that Betty had been and always will be the exception to that rule. Why? Because she was ... special. To him she was one of the few constant things that existed in Riverdale and despite her flaws, of which she had many, Betty Cooper was the closet thing to 'perfection' he had ever found. 

Without hesitation, he pulled her close and kissed her. For both of them the embrace was necessary and long overdue. Betty ran her hands up the length of Jughead's back, pressing herself against him, deepening their kiss until they were forced to pull apart, more out of a necessity to breathe than anything else. 

"So," Jughead began, "What's the purpose of this little midnight meeting?" 

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise" she replied playfully. Jughead raised an eyebrow.

"You do remember what happened the last time you tried to surprise me right?" 

"I do," she said, smiling and taking his hand, "Trust me, you'll like this one." 

~~~

Betty and Jughead held hands as they walked down the lamp lit, snow covered streets together, passing the time with light-hearted conversation, most of which consisted of Jughead trying and failing to convince Betty to let up on her secret. 

"I promise to still act surprised" he said, trying to compromise with her again which, of course, only made her laugh ... again. 

"Haven't you ever heard the saying; Patience is a virtue Jug?" 

"I have" 

"Well, exercise a little patience then".  
She heard Jughead chuckled under his breath and felt him tighten his hand around hers a little more. 

As they entered the dimly lit quad in front of the Riverdale library, Betty stepped in front of Jughead bringing him to an abrupt stop. The library had been closed for hours, leaving the area completely empty and still, apart from the large fountain at its center which made the only distinguishable sound. 

"Please don't tell me you did all of this just to show me what the library looks like at night" he teased making her smirk up at him in response. 

"Ha-ha, very funny" she said shoving him lightly, "Now close your eyes." 

The way she said it made it sound more like a command than a request.  
Jughead chuckled. "Wow, you really want to make this a full blown surprise, don't you?" 

He smiled, knowing that he could never intentionally disappoint this beautiful, green eyed girl. Giving in with a sigh, he closed his eyes and covered them with his hand.  
Betty smiled. The fact that Jughead was allowing himself to be entirely at her mercy was the kind of gesture she loved, because it meant that he trusted her. That he loved her.  
It also made guiding him to the 'surprise' very amusing. 

"I swear you're a five year old!" he accused jokingly after Betty convinced him that he was about to walk straight into a bench, causing him to stumble awkwardly, making them both laugh.  
They walked a little bit further until Jughead felt Betty tighten her hand around his arm pulling him to a stop. 

"Okay," she said excitedly, "Open your eyes!" 

Jughead obeyed her immediately, opening his eyes to the sight of a massive painting which covered one side of the library from front to end.  
Even in faint light, he could make out the scenes within the painting. The Twilight Drive-In, The Town Hall, Riverdale High, South Side High, The Bulldogs and The Vixens at a football match, Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe Diner, The Sunnyside Trailer Park, The Riverdale Register, even a detailed portrait of Jason Blossom found a place on the wall all surrounding the words; "Our Past Made Us, Our Future Defines Us" which were written in large blue and gold letters.

Jughead focused on the familiar words, feeling the full weight of his notebook which was safely tucked away in the inside pocket of his jacket. He smiled realizing that she must have read it at some point, perhaps while he was sleeping. If it had been anyone else he would have been furious, but Betty's desire to include every aspect of the town, to include him, softened his heart.

He could feel Betty's eyes burning into him, waiting for him to say something. 

"This is the 'project' you and Veronica have been working on for weeks, isn't it?" He said eventually, not taking his eyes of the painting or the words. 

"Yeah," she replied, leaning her head against his shoulder, "After my Jubilee Speech, Mayor McCoy asked me and a bunch of students from Riverdale High to do it. Naturally, Veronica wanted to help, although she mainly 'supervised' more than anything else." She fell silent then and started to fidget with the sleeve of Jughead's jacket nervously. 

"So, what do you think?" She asked, looking up to read the expression on his face. Her eyes widened when she saw him frown. 

"Well, it's really impressive, but..." he paused, "I'm just wondering how much I'm going to be paid, given that you used my quote and all." He saw Betty smile slightly out the corner of his eye and watched as she turned towards him. 

"How's five or ten dollars sound?" she mused, wrapping her arms around him again. Jughead turned to face her now, cupping her delicate face with his hands.

"You know what?" he whispered, "10 dollars sounds pretty good."

Smiling, he leaned in and kissed her, closing the space between them with one single action that expressed everything they felt towards each other. They savored the kiss allowing the world evaporate away, until it was just the two of them, on the edge of a moment that, unbeknownst to them, was about to change them forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> I started this story a while back on Wattpad and will try to update it on a regular basis.  
> I hope you enjoy it!!! Xxx


	2. What Lurks In The Shadows

A car door slammed in the distance. 

It was a sound that Betty and Jughead had heard many times before, but in the stillness of the night, it sounded as unfamiliar as a gunshot. They jumped apart at once both of them expecting to see a high strung Alice Cooper marching towards them, but to their surprise, there was nothing. They settled back into a close position, both of them searching intently for the source of the noise. 

"There!" Jughead whispered, pulling Betty closer to him than she already was. He nudged his head towards the library's parking lot where a car sat beneath a lamp post and a woman with shoulder length, light blonde hair stood nearby.

Jughead's eyes widened. "Is that--"

"--Emma Monroe?" Betty finished, "I think it is."

The former head of the Blue and Gold, was easily recognized by her sharp appearance and determined nature, something she was known for during her days as a student at Riverdale High. She was arguing intensely with someone on the phone, emphasizing every word she spoke with wild hand gestures. After a few minutes, she hung up the phone and walked off until she was out of sight. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed them standing nearby. 

"Has she been there this whole time?" Betty asked, feeling a little uncomfortable. 

"I'm not sure" Jughead mumbled, matching her discomfort. It had been two years since anyone had seen or heard from Emma Monroe. After graduation she had disappeared from Riverdale without a trace leaving everyone in the town under the impression that they would never see her again. What was she doing here? When did she get back? Why did she come back? He had to know. Without warning Jughead removed his arm from around Betty's waist and stepped away from her. 

"Hey, where are going?" 

"To investigate" he answered simply. 

Betty folded her arms across her chest self consciously. "Do you think that's a good idea?."

"She's a journalist Betty, what's she going to do? Interview us to death?" He smiled at her reassuringly and held out his hand which she accepted.  
He held Betty's hand tightly as they approached the vehicle and once they were close enough, he gently released it.

"Emma?" He heard Betty yell in the general direction she had gone. There was no reply. 

With limited time to spare, Jughead turned his attention to the inside of the car which looked like a disaster zone. Loose papers and files were strewn all over the front and back seats in a completely disorganized fashion. With only the nearby street lamp as his source of light, he scanned over the chaotic mess desperately trying to find anything legible. It was only when his eyes found a file marked "Blue and Gold #118" that he got excited. 

"Betty!" he half whispered, half yelled. He saw Betty approach him from the side furtherest from the car and figured that she had been keeping an eye out for Emma, who still hadn't responded. 

"Take a look at that file," he said once she had joined him. 

Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw it. "Why would she have a Blue and Gold file?"

"It must have something to do with why she's back" Jughead stated, wishing he could break the window and get his hands on it to find out more. 

Betty stepped back from the car.   
"Well, if this is the file from the Blue and Gold office we'll have to get the copy from the school archives." 

Jughead smiled. "I didn't know the school kept copies of every file" he said, sounding impressed. 

"That's because you always fall asleep when you're supposed to help me with the filing" Betty accused jokingly.

He chuckled. "Oh yeah ... right." 

They exchanged wide smiles, both of them feeling the familiar rush that comes with investigative work wash over them. Certain that the file would contain information, articles or research to help make Emma's intentions in Riverdale a little clearer, Jughead pulled out his notebook and started to jot down the information. 

"You know, we could just ask her what she's doing here and why she has that file" Betty pointed out. 

He stopped. "That would be a easier, but do you think she'd be willing to share that information?"

Betty shrugged. "We'll never know unless we try."

Jughead nodded, but he finished jotting down the evidence anyway, just to be safe. 

Once he was done, he stepped back from the car and looked out towards the far end of the parking lot where Emma had gone, noticing that it was very dark, which meant that she could have gone anywhere. 

"Emma? EMMA!" he called out. Still no answer. Where the heck was she? They waited for several minutes yelling 'Emma' every once in a while for good measure, but there was nothing, no reply. 

"Should we go after her?" Betty asked anxiously, Jughead opened his mouth to respond, but was silenced immediately when an unknown figure, that definitely wasn't Emma Monroe, suddenly materialized out of the darkness, its eyes fixed on them with malicious intent. 

"Jug ..." Betty managed to breathe, when the figure suddenly lurched towards them aggressively. 

Jughead's heart dropped. "Run ... RUN!" he yelled. 

Without hesitation, Betty and Jughead bolted back the way they had come, running as quickly as they could from their pursuer who wasn't far behind. When they ran across the quad, Jughead saw Betty looked back over her shoulder. 

"Don't look back!" he yelled as they turned out onto the street and then he slipped, his arm and shoulder smashing into the icy ground.

"JUGHEAD!"

He felt Betty's hands latch onto him, pulling him up onto his feet. 

Still reeling from the pain, he followed her as they raced down the street, increasing the distance between them and their pursuer everytime they turned a corner onto the next one. Even when the the footsteps behind them had faded entirely, they kept running until The Cooper Household was in sight. 

It was only when they had climbed up the ladder and scrambled into Betty's room that they finally felt safe. Terrified and out of breath, they sat with their backs pressed against the window seat, waiting. Betty looked over at Jughead and noticed that he was clutching his shoulder in obvious pain. 

"Are you okay?" she asked breathlessly. He nodded in response and quickly took her shaking hand in his. Long, agonizing minutes passed before Jughead risked peering out the window again. He looked out towards the empty street, scanning the area attentively. It was really dark, so dark that even if their tormentor was out there Jughead probably wouldn't be able to see him. 

"See anything?" he heard Betty ask softly. 

In all honesty, there wasn't any sign of their pursuer out in the open, but what about in the shadows where Jughead couldn't see? He shuddered at the thought of being watched and not knowing it. Eventually he sighed.

"No, I think he's gone" he said, reaching forward to lock the window.

Afterwards, Jughead sat down and wrapped his arms comfortingly around Betty, allowing her to nuzzle into the nape of his neck. They were okay, they were safe ... But for how long? 

How long would they - would anyone, be able to hide from Riverdale's shadow?


	3. The Morning After

Jughead felt like he had barely closed his eyes when the alarm Betty had set to wake them up before anyone else, suddenly went off. Betty stirred beside him and groaned as she reached over to turn it off, draping her arm over his bare chest once she had. 

"Good morning" she said snuggling herself back into the warmth of Jughead's neck. Betty heard him mumble something a long the lines of  'Morning' before propping herself up on her elbow to look at him, noticing immediately that he was exhausted. 

"You didn't sleep did you?" She deduced, gently running her thumb over the bags beneath his eyes. 

"Oh no I did ..." said Jughead, shifting himself into an upright position, "I'm pretty sure I got a whole 10 minutes worth at some point. " 

"Wow," she said drily, "A whole 10 minutes, I'm so jealous!". She joined him just in time to see his lips pull into a crooked smile, but behind his smile she could tell that something was bothering him. 

"What's wrong Jug?". Her voice was soft and laced with worry which made it very hard for him not to answer her immediately. It was only when he felt her hand move over his back that he exhaled and finally said something.

"I just ... couldn't stop thinking about what happened last night ..." he began, trailing off when the events of the night before crept back into his mind. It wasn't a dream, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that it was, he knew it wasn't. They'd seen Emma Monroe disappear into the darkness only for a malevolent character to emerge and take her place. They hadn't spoken about whether she had been as lucky as them. They had to convince themselves that she was alright, that she was somehow okay, even if they didn't believe it.

"I know " Betty said quietly, "At least nothing ..." 

"That's not the point!" he interjected a little too loudly. He turned to look at her, his blue eyes filled with concern. He steadied himself before he spoke again, this time in a whisper. "Think about it Betty, I walked to the park all the way from Pops and you! You walked all the way there alone with that creep crawling around. When I thought about that I ... I couldn't ..." 

"I know ... I understand" she said, gently moving her hand from his back to his shoulder which was badly bruised from his fall last night, "Last night really freaked me out too, why do you think I begged you to stay with me?" Jughead nodded and swallowed a hard lump in his throat, remembering how scared and desperate she had been. 

"We shouldn't risk that again." He said and Betty nodded in agreement almost immediately. A discernible silence fell between them during which time Jughead's thoughts consumed him. He felt Betty rub his sore shoulder softly, trying to ease his discomfort, and when that didn't work she shifted her attention to his messy black hair.  
He smiled to himself as she tried and failed miserably to flattened the unruly mane with her fingers. 

"That'll take you all day, so you might as well give up now" he said casting a playful glance in her direction. He knew that she was trying to distract him, so he let her. 

"You should know by now that I don't give up that easily Jughead Jones" she quipped, running her fingers through his hair in the opposite direction now. 

"I know" he said assuredly "Believe me, I know." 

Smiling broadly, Betty leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was long, soft and reassuring, her way of saying that they were safe, that nothing bad was going to happen. Jughead relished in the sweetness of her mouth, constantly thinking that he was so lucky to have her. When they finally pulled apart, he opened his eyes and admired the gorgeous creature sitting before him. Even in the pale light, the sight of her wearing his 'S' t shirt with her blonde hair loose and tousled, only made him appreciate how beautiful she was. He smiled and unwilling to contain himself any longer, kissed her again.

They fell back onto the bed, giggling like children and kissing feverishly, both completely lost in the moment.  
With each second that passed, Betty felt herself melt beneath him as he moved his mouth away from hers to kiss the length of her neck. The sudden change made her grasp at his already bare back in an effort to keep him as close to her as physically possible. Sliding his hand over her soft skin and then under her shirt, Jughead moved his lips down to Betty's collarbone, when an unexpected noise startled them. 

They both breathed a sigh of relief when they realized it was just the phone ringing. Jughead looked down at Betty and grinned, allowing a soft chuckle to escape from his lips. "We are waaaay too jumpy" he whispered.

The comment made Betty giggle forcing her to place a hand over her mouth. They clung to each other and stayed silent when they heard a door open followed by someone walking purposefully past Betty's door. They waited until they heard Alice Cooper's muffled voice drifting down the hallway before they risked speaking again, keeping their voices low. 

"I should probably go" Jughead mumbled, though he made no effort to remove himself from her grip. As much as she hated to admit it, Betty knew he was right. She would risk pretty much anything to stay like this with him, but the thought of her mother bursting in unannounced, like she had on so many other occasions, made her reconsider. 

"I guess we don't have a choice" she sighed, clearly bitter. Jughead chuckled again as he got up from the bed pulling Betty along with him. 

Aware of the problems that would definitely unfold if Betty's mom did burst through the door, Jughead dressed himself quickly while Betty changed into pajamas that were more 'Cooper family' appropriate. 

After slipping on his grey sweater, jacket and trademark beanie, Jughead found himself focusing on Alice's conversation, causing him to unconsciously move closer to the door. 

"Juggie ..." he heard Betty whisper frantically behind him. 

"Don't you think its a little strange that she's been on the phone for such a long time?" he asked, looking back over his shoulder at Betty who was now wearing long blue pajama pants and a white sleeveless vest. Confused, but mostly curious, she approached the door too, standing close enough to him so that their shoulders touched. They both pressed their ears to the wood and listened. A few minutes later, Betty opened her eyes and saw Jughead staring back at her. 

"Anything?" he mouthed at her to which Betty responded with a shake of her head. They were about to carry on listening when a soft knock on the door made them both step back immediately. 

"Betty, are you awake?". The voice was just loud enough for them to distinguish that it was Betty's older sister; Polly. Jughead and Betty exchanged wordless looks as they moved quickly and quietly to the window. 

"Betty?" Polly said a little louder this time. 

"Give me a minute Pol" Betty replied in the best 'I've just woken up' voice she could muster. She helped Jughead open the window allowing the winter air to flood into her room and waited until he was firmly on the ladder before giving him a fleeting kiss.

"I'll see you at school" she said, before letting him descend the ladder to the ground, closing the window soon after. 

~~~

Betty waited until Jughead had reached Archie's house before she turned back to her room. She scanned it over and after finding no obvious sign of her boyfriend, opened her bedroom door. A very pregnant Polly stood before her, dressed in pink pajamas with her blond hair loose and slightly messy. 

Polly lingered awkwardly in the doorway for a second before she stepped inside, keeping her eyes on the ground. It had always been easy for Betty to tell when her big sister was upset, a lack of eye contact being one of the clear indicators that's something was wrong. 

"Pol, what's going on?" she asked.  
Betty watched as Polly ran her hands over her pregnant stomach, as if she were rubbing a crystal ball trying to un-fog the future. 

"Betty, I think something really bad has happened."


	4. Ripples

It was only after Jughead had left the comfort and sanctity of Betty's room that he realized how tired he actually was. It was a cold morning, a very cold morning and an unnatural mist dampened the air. He shivered as he crossed the street towards Archie's house and tried to distract himself by wondering how he was going survive an entire day of school without passing out at some point. 

He had barely taken two steps through the front door of his 'home' when he heard someone clear their throat. He smiled. Of course his best friend Archie Andrews was sitting at the top of the stairs waiting for him, what else. After he closed the door and hung up his jacket, Jughead turned around and saw Archie staring at him, a knowing smile playing on his lips. 

"Quit it!" Jughead said sheepishly which only made his red headed friend smile wider and wiggle his eyebrows suggestively.

"What? I'm not used to seeing Jughead Jones- The Jughead Jones- sneaking back into a house after, what was hopefully a very romantic midnight rendezvous." 

Jughead smirked. "You're right, usually our roles are reversed."

They broke into fits of laughter as Archie descended the stairs, missing steps as he did. When he reached the bottom one, he grasped his friends shoulder and Jughead tried his best not to wince. 

"To be honest I was a little worried when I didn't see you this morning." Archie admitted as they headed towards the kitchen. 

"Yeah, sorry I decided to stay at Betty's and- Oh come on man, we didn't do anything her mom was right down the hall!" Jughead protested when his overzealous friend started to smile again. Archie nodded and stifled a laugh, clearly not convinced. 

They settled into their normal morning routine after that, with both of them helping themselves to a bowel of cereal. Jughead also made himself a cup of coffee to combat his exhaustion. They sat down at the kitchen table and spoke about the day ahead, the biggest highlight for Archie being that he had to practice for a duet he and Veronica were going to sing at the talent show in a couple of weeks time. Jughead didn't mention last night again and he was thankful Archie didn't bring it up either. 

"Speaking of Veronica, how'd your date go last night?" Jughead asked as he got up to fix himself another bowl of cereal. Archie responded by smiling and slowly chewing on a mouthful of cereal a little longer than usual. 

"What, that's it?" Jughead laughed. 

Archie shrugged and swallowed. "I don't kiss and tell." 

"Since when?" Jughead mocked playfully. 

"Since I met a girl who made me not want to do that." Archie responded, lifting another spoonful of cereal up to his mouth. 

Jughead smiled. Archie Andrews had gotten a little lost in the civil war that raged inside his head and needed someone to reign him in, but also push him to pursue what he wanted. Veronica Lodge was the perfect person to do that. Even though Jughead didn't know her very well, he knew that she wasn't the type to sit back and let things happen, she made them happen and this trait had rubbed off on Archie beautifully. 

"That's great man" Jughead said as he sat down again. 

"Yeah," Archie sighed happily, "She wanted to sneak over here last night, but I was so wiped I had to turn her down unfortunately."

Jughead froze and before he could stop himself, he pictured Veronica, screaming and begging for help as someone, evil and malicious, relentlessly chased after her. His thoughts ended abruptly when he felt something hot burn his leg and he realized he'd spilt coffee on his jeans. 

"Oh jeez ..." Jughead murmured as he set his cup down on the table. Archie frowned at his friends uneasiness.

"Jug, are you-" but he was cut off by a knock on the door. Archie frowned at Jughead again before he went to answer it and was surprised when he found Sheriff Keller standing before him. 

"Sheriff Keller," Archie began sounding a little confused, "What are you doing here?" 

The seasoned sheriff of Riverdale had a hard, serious look on his face. "I need to speak to Jughead." He said trying to enter the house. 

Archie stepped in front of him. "Why? What's happened?" 

Having heard the entire exchange, Jughead abandoned his cereal and got up from the table with a sigh. He had a strong inkling as to why the Sheriff was here, one which made him feel sick to his stomach. When he stepped into view Sheriff Keller's lips pulled into a grimace and his eyes became dark and angry. Tension filled the room and the next words he spoke made Jughead's heart clench in his chest as his worst fears came true and Riverdale was plunged into darkness again. 

~~~

Betty sat at the dinning room table in disbelief, still trying to fathom what she had just been told. She swallowed the hard lump in her throat and forced herself to face it again. 

There was no escaping the truth. Emma Monroe had been found murdered. 

The thought immediately brought tears to her eyes and she felt her throat tightened as the reality of the situation set in. Polly was weeping quietly beside her, while their mother sat opposite them, deep in thought and glaring into the distance. Betty could almost guess what her mother was thinking, because she was thinking the same thing. This was just another blow to Riverdale's innocence, another reason for people to fear this town. 

The silence that filled the room reminded her of the conversation she had with Jughead that morning, understanding now that his restlessness and the concern in his eyes wasn't just for her, but was also for Emma. She knew that no matter how hard he had tried, he couldn't convince himself completely that Emma would be safe and he was right. 

Prompted by the thought of him, Betty looked out the window towards Archie's house and immediately noticed that Sheriff Keller's car was parked along the curb outside it. Within seconds her whole demeanor changed.

"What!" she choked, getting up from the table aggressively. The sudden movement caught her mother's eye. 

"Elizabeth, where on Earth are you going?". Betty ignored her and headed straight to the front door, opening it just in time to see Sheriff Keller emerge from the house towing Jughead by arm with a shell shocked Archie following close behind them. 

"No .. no ... no ... No!" Betty muttered and without hesitation she ran out to intercept them. 

"Wait, Sheriff Keller ... Stop!" Betty yelled as she crossed the street. She saw Jughead look up, his terrified eyes relaxing slightly the moment he saw her. Sheriff Keller looked up as well, but before he could even react, Betty had pushed herself between him and Jughead.

"Betty? What are you-" 

"He didn't do it!" Betty interrupted quickly. She stepped back so that she was pressed up against Jughead, her hand finding his immediately. 

Sheriff Keller sighed. "Look, Betty I know you care about him but-" 

"No, You don't understand!" Betty interjected again. She paused when she saw her mother and sister crossing the street towards them. Alice Cooper looked furious while Polly just looked very worried. Betty steeled herself and continued. 

"I know he didn't do it because I was with him." she said, ignoring her mothers disapproving eyes as she and Polly reached them. 

The Sheriff folded his arms across his chest, clearly frustrated. "Then how do you explain the fact that we found Jughead's notebook near the scene?" he asked. 

Betty faltered for a second, realizing that with her mother present, she was probably about to sign her own death certificate. She felt Jughead squeeze her hand then. It was his way of saying that she didn't have to do this, but she wanted too. 

"I asked Jughead to meet me in the park at around midnight. I wanted to show him the mural along the library, the one we've been working on for weeks. That's when we saw Emma -" 

"Wait, wait!" Sheriff Keller chimed in, "You saw Emma?" 

"Yes," Betty continued with a little more confidence now, "And she was still very much alive when we did." She turned slightly to address Jughead. "Your notebook must of fallen out when we were being chased and you fell." 

"Chased!" Alice Cooper shrieked suddenly making Betty wince, "And when exactly were you planning on mentioning this?"

Betty opened her mouth to respond, but Sheriff Keller held up his hand, silencing her. He narrowed his eyes. "Where was he for the rest of the evening?"

"He was here, sleeping." Archie said, stepping forward so that he was also standing near Jughead, adding to his protection. Keller sighed, his serious demeanor slowly evaporating away.

"Okay, okay" he said, running his hand over his face, "I'll need you all to come down to the station and give statements. Come on, I'll give you a ride." 

"That won't be necessary," Alice Cooper announced, turning her sharp eyes on her daughter, "I'll bring Betty myself." Without speaking another word, she turned on her heels and marched back towards her house, mentioning for her daughters to follow her. 

Betty shivered and not just because she was still barefoot and in her pajamas. She had dealt with her mother enough times before to know that what was coming next would not be easy. The only relief the situation offered was Jughead squeezing her hand again and this time she returned the pressure. 

"Betty ..." he began, but she shook her head, silencing him. 

"It's okay Jug, I'll see you at school." She squeezed his hand tightly and with a nervous sigh reluctantly followed her mother back to the house. Only Polly remained now, her hands resting protectively on her stomach. She offered him a soft smiled. 

"Don't worry Jughead, she'll be fine."


	5. Plunged Into Darkness

In no time at all, the news of Emma Monroe's unexpected death had flowed from whispered lips through the streets of the small, sleepy town and it wasn't long until life within its boarders came to a staggering holt once again. Fear gripped the heart of Riverdale without mercy as a new, terrifying threat reared its ugly head and any comfort or normality that had been gained since Jason's death was gone in an instant. 

Compared to the rest of the town, the police station seemed to be the only place where life still dwelled. Anxious residents filled the foyer, pushing and shoving for any information they could get out of the rookie officer assigned to keep them at bay.   
Who did this? How did this happen? How could this happen again? All these questions seemed dreadfully familiar to Jughead, making him shiver as he was led past the unruly crowd to give his statement.   
Jughead caught Archie's eye as they were pulled off in different directions and he silently hoped that his friend wouldn't embellish too much when he lied. 

The deputy sheriff led Jughead into a cold, windowless room where he was pressed for details regarding the events of last night for over an hour. The entire process was tedious and annoying with the only silver-lining being that Jughead didn't feel like a suspect. When the deputy had finished jotting down Jughead's statement she left and, after what felt like an eternity, finally returned holding his notebook. 

"Okay Mr Jones, you're free to go." 

And just like that she returned the notebook to Jughead and motioned for him to follow her. As they left the room, Jughead glanced at a nearby clock on the wall and raised his eyebrows in surprise. He'd been in there for almost two hours. As they entered the foyer again, which was now mostly empty, Jughead noticed Archie's dad; Fred Andrews having a very terse discussion with Sheriff Keller. Archie was standing nearby, watching. 

Jughead approached him. "Hey, what's happening?" 

"My dad's pissed that Keller didn't call him before he hauled us down here," Archie whispered with a slight smile on his lips, "He's really taking this whole legal guardian thing seriously."

Ever since Jughead's father; FP Jones, had been jailed for the role he played in Jason's death, Fred had taken it upon himself to become Jughead's legal guardian, giving him a home and a family. For FP, knowing that his son would be safe and cared for was the best news anyone could give him.

Jughead felt his lips tug into a small smile as he watched Fred reprimand the Sheriff curtly and then he remembered why Fred's current actions were necessary in the first place. 

"Have you seen Betty yet?" Jughead asked fearfully. 

Archie nodded slowly. "She came in about half an hour ago." 

Jughead's heart sank as he looked back in the direction he had just come. He wondered which room she was in, what questions they were asking her and whether she was or had been crying. He felt a horrible ache in his stomach at thought when a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to turn around.

"You boys alright?" Fred Andrews asked, his other hand coming to rest on Archie's shoulder. He offered them both a weak smile. 

"As alright as we can be in a situation like this." Archie replied half-heartedly. Jughead just nodded, his mind still on Betty. 

Fred sighed and inclined his head with comprehension before he spoke again. "Alright well, let's get you both home." 

Jughead felt Fred's hand leave his shoulder and he briefly considered staying, wanting nothing more than to make sure that Betty was alright, but in the end reason won him over and with a reluctant sigh he followed Fred and Archie.

~~~

Jughead paced the length of Archie's living room. It had been almost three hours since they had left the police station and there was still no sign of Betty. He had texted her asking her to come to Archie's once she was done and he wondered now if Betty had even gotten his message. 

By coming to his aid this morning, she had willingly opened up a whole new set of issues with her mother, all in an effort to protect him. Jughead fought back angry tears as he remembered Alice Cooper's enraged eyes, staring and spitting at Betty and clenched his jaw at the memory of the last time he'd seen her. Heck, not even Polly's comforting smile or words could sink in and make him feel better. 

Archie watched his friend quietly from the couch, chewing on his words. He wasn't sure what to say, mostly because he didn't blame Jughead for being nervous. Having been friends with Betty for years, he was also very familiar with the wraith of Alice Cooper. 

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Jug" he managed to say after a while. Jughead nodded slightly, but kept up his pacing, his brow furrowed. 

Suddenly, the front door clicked. 

Jughead stopped mid step the moment he heard it and felt a tinge of disappointment when a beautiful girl with astonishing, raven black hair stepped into the view. Veronica Lodge silently took notice of Jughead, who had started pacing again, as she walked over to Archie and sat down beside him. He wrapped a comforting arm around her, pulling her closer. 

"Is he okay?" she asked softly. 

Archie shook his head. "He won't be okay until he sees Betty." he mumbled back. 

They sat in silence for long time with Jughead still pacing continuously and Veronica leaning on Archie for support, until they heard the front door open again, this time revealing Betty. Jughead barely had enough time to take in Betty's face before Veronica ran over and hugged her. His stomach twisted horribly when he saw that she'd been crying, knowing already who was responsible. These days Jughead's relationship with Alice Cooper had virtually no tension. You could even go as far as to say that they had come to accept each other, but sometimes he found it really, really hard to like her. 

"Are you okay B?" he heard Veronica ask as she stepped back slightly to look Betty over. He didn't hear Betty's reply and watched as Archie walked over and pulled both girls into another tight hug. Jughead stayed back, giving Betty some time alone with her friends. After a long and comforting moment, she broke away from them. 

"I'm fine guys, really." Betty said reassuringly, her lips pulling into a weak, but soft smile. Her eyes moved to Jughead who was standing at the opposite end of the room, scowling at the floor. When he looked up and saw her staring at him, his face softened immediately. Looking back and forth between them, Veronica read the situation perfectly and turned to Archie. 

"Archiekins will you help me with something in the kitchen?"   
Archie looked confused for a moment until he saw Veronica discreetly raise her eyebrows at him. He nodded and headed to kitchen. 

"We'll be back in a bit." Veronica said, rubbing Betty's arm soothingly. She cast a glance at Jughead and smiled before following her boyfriend into the next room.

Now that they were alone, Jughead kept his eyes on the ground feeling incredibly nervous. He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the conversation that was about to follow, but he knew that he would have to face it at some point. He looked up then and saw that Betty was on the verge of tears again. His heart broke and without hesitation he crossed the room and pulled her into a firm hug. Giving in, Betty buried her face into his chest as fresh tears spilled from her eyes and soaked into his shirt. 

"Hey, It's okay... It's okay" he mumbled several times against the side of her head, moving a hand up to the back of her neck and gently massaging it with his fingers. He led Betty to the couch and they sat down, still clinging to each other. He gave her as much time as she needed to cry and then compose herself before he asked her what happened. 

"What do you think happened?" She choked quietly, wiping her wet cheeks with her hand. Jughead clenched his jaw and tightened his arms around her. 

"If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say your mother probably told you to stop seeing me, because I'm a bad influence on you or something like that." He said sounding defeated. Betty pulled back to look at his face. 

"What?" she said incredulously, "No no, she didn't say anything like that and even if she did I wouldn't listen to her. No, she was mad, at both of us actually, for being out so late and not telling anyone what happened sooner." She stood up then and walked towards the middle of the room, squeezing her hands together anxiously before she continued. "And I started to think, what if she's right Jug? What if saying something sooner could've helped or even saved--"

"Hey," He said, interrupting her before she became hysterical, "You can't think like that Betty, we were attacked and chased! We had no choice but to run! How could we have ever known what was going to happen?"

Jughead grabbed her by the shoulders and locked his eyes with hers, holding her in place. "You can't blame yourself, I won't let you." He said quietly, his eyes dropping to the ground as he finished speaking. 

"I know, but that means you can't blame yourself either Jug." He felt Betty's hands cup his face, forcing him to look at her. "Deal?"

Jughead nodded. "Deal."


	6. The One Piece Of Evidence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mystery deepens ... First appearance of Kevin Keller. I hope you guys enjoy!! Xxx

A town funeral was held for Emma a couple of days later and in the week that passed since her death, Riverdale slowly trudged its way back to something resembling 'normal' life, but in reality, there was very little ease to be found anywhere as every inch of the town had been tainted in some way by the tragedy. 

School resumed the day after Emma had been found and it wasn't long until the corridors of Riverdale High flowed with over exaggerated gossip and wild theories. The only time people fell silent was when they passed the make shift memorial that had been erected outside the Blue and Gold Office in Emma's honour. 

Much to Betty and Jughead's dismay,  
Principle Weatherbee commissioned them to write an article about Emma and asked them to publish a special edition of the Blue and Gold featuring some of the incredible articles she had written for the paper over the years. It certainly wasn't the best assignment they had been given especially when considering their personal connection to the matter, but such is the life of a journalist. 

These days, the only place where any kind of comfort or escapism could be found was in one of the many booths at Pop's Choklit Shoppe. Jughead had once described the retro Diner as the safest place in Riverdale, because it's bright neon lights kept the darkness at bay- a sentiment he still believed in, now more than ever.

Jughead had been there for a couple of hours now, typing away furiously on his laptop while Betty slept beside him with her head in his lap. He was glad that she was finally getting some sleep. This past week had been hazardous on her sleeping schedule and his presence was required on more than one occasion to help her cope with it. 

When he was about half way through his Emma Monroe puff piece, Jughead heard the familiar chime that sounded every time someone entered the Diner and it wasn't long until Veronica had stripped off her fake fur coat and joined them in the booth. 

"Hey Ronnie," he said. He looked up from his computer briefly and saw that she was alone. "Where's Archie?" 

"I just left our beloved redhead in the library where he was helping Moose with some homework, but he might come by later. Oh, and Kevin is going to join us!." Veronica said, reaching forward to grab one of Betty's left over fries. 

A police car rolled passed the Diner then, its bright blue and red lights flashing through the windows, catching everyone's attention. 

"God, that's the fourth one I've seen since I left the library." Veronica muttered, "Don't you think that's a little over the top?" 

Jughead shrugged, "Maybe, but at least they're doing something and not being completely useless for once." 

Veronica suppressed a laugh with her hand when the chime sounded again, this time announcing the arrival of a boy with a friendly disposition whose brown hair was always perfectly quaffed. 

"Hey Kev!" Veronica said happily as Kevin Keller sat down beside her. Jughead greeted Kevin as well and closed his laptop, knowing that work would be futile from this point on.  
In most situations, Jughead had always found Kevin's presence to be light, easy and often contradictory to his own mood. Even after the sad and unavoidable departure of his Southside Serpent boyfriend; Joaquin DeSantos, Kevin Keller never failed to smile. 

"Hey guys," Kevin said and like Veronica he reached and snatched up a french fry. He ate it and then frowned when he noticed the missing presence of his blonde haired BFF. "Where's Betty?" 

Jughead pressed a finger to his lips and pointed down to his lap where Betty was still fast asleep. "She hasn't been sleeping well lately and I want her to get as much as she can before she goes home." he explained, rubbing Betty's arm gently with his thumb.

Kevin nodded and then his demeanor changed from friendly to serious in an instant. He looked around cautiously and leaned forward onto his elbows. "So, do you guys wanna hear something no one else knows yet?" He whispered not bothering to hide his own interest. 

Jughead raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Well, I dunno ... Seeing as we've got nothing else to talk about, we might as well hear it." He quipped playfully. 

A crooked smile formed on Kevin's lips and he motioned for them to lean in closer. Jughead obeyed, but was careful not to wake Betty. Kevin looked back and forth between Veronica and Jughead, building up the anticipation. 

"Emma Monroe's car was found, torched on the outskirts of town this morning." 

As the words left Kevin's mouth, Jughead sat back quietly, his mind racing to the memory of all the papers and files he had seen strewn about the car that night. All of that evidence was gone now, consumed by heat and fire. 

"Jeez," Veronica said, clearly shocked, "Do you think the car was part of the crime scene?" 

Kevin shook his head. "No, but my dad thinks it has something to do with why the crime was committed. They found badly brunt documents in the car, but that evidence is basically a dead end now." 

"Not necessarily," Jughead said, his eyes twinkling with realization. There was one piece of evidence they could still gain access to and he thanked whoever was listening that he had taken the initiative to write it down in his notebook. 

When Jughead walked Betty home later on that night, he eagerly filled her in on the details and laughed hysterically when her initial response was;

"What! Why the heck didn't you wake me up Jug!" 

~~~

The following day, Betty and Jughead went to school extra early and headed straight to the office to ask the school's secretary for permission to access the archives. When asked why, Betty responded brilliantly by saying that they needed files containing articles written by Emma Monroe for the special edition of the Blue and Gold, which technically wasn't a lie. 

Accepting their answer, the secretary led them to a massive, but dusty room filled with rows and rows of information alphabetically organized in a now archaic system. Once they were alone, Betty closed the door and flicked on the lights which produced a faint, but annoying hum, adding to the already 'charming' atmosphere. 

"Okay," Betty mumbled, " 'B' should be this way." She led Jughead down her chosen aisle and it wasn't long until they found the section marked; Blue and Gold- School Newspaper. Jughead ran his finger along the neatly stacked files, scanning them until he found the one he was looking for and pulled it from the shelf wearing a triumphant smile. 

Betty returned the smile and both of them started to wonder what secrets Blue and Gold #118 had to hide and what it would reveal about Emma. Without hesitation they sat down on the floor beside each other and started to read.  
As expected, the file contained articles, research, sources and references all relating to a specific story or subject matter. Initially, Betty and Jughead didn't say a word as they scanned over the information, but after about twenty minutes of silent reading Betty looked up from her pile of papers and spoke. 

"Everything I've read so far has been about the Southside" she said, her eyes scanning over another page. 

Jughead looked up as well and nodded. "More specifically it's been about the rising drug presence there." 

Betty's eyebrows pulled together. "But, I thought that was a recent problem? All this research was conducted two years ago right before she left." 

Jughead shrugged. "I guess it took Sheriff Clueless two years to figure out something that only took an 18 year old six months to work out. I mean, the drug presence in the Southside has grown a lot in the last few months. You'd have to be an idiot not to pick up on it." 

"Yeah, just look at all the research Emma had to do to make this discovery in the first place." Betty said, gesturing to the papers spread out in front of them. "Clearly she was very determined or maybe a little obsessed." 

"She was definitely obsessed" Jughead agreed. He stopped for a moment and pondered to himself. After awhile he felt Betty gently nudge him.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked. 

Jughead smiled slightly and sighed. "I'm just trying to think what our next move should be. It's clear we'll need to talk to her sources, but all the really interesting information in this file came from unspecified or confidential ones. It just feels like a dead end to me." he admitted. 

Betty's eyebrows knitted together and she thought for a moment. It was a serious problem, one that did make all the information in the file seem like a dead end, but it couldn't be! There had to be something, anything that could help push them forward. Betty dropped her eyes to the contents of the file again and that's when she saw it, the corner of a yellow sticky note peeking out underneath a sea of white paper. She wasn't sure what made her reach for it, maybe it was the colour or the pure desperation she felt or perhaps it was her gut feeling- she couldn't decide. Nevertheless, she pick it up and read the information out loud. 

"The Snake Pit, 10pm- Ask for Dodger" 

Jughead, who had been re-reading Emma's scribbled research, scooted closer to Betty and read the note too, his lips pulling into a broad grin that matched hers. He turned to looked at her, his eyes filling with admiration when he spoke. 

"Nancy Drew strikes again."


	7. Into The Snake Pit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some Southside Serpent action and a hint of dark Betty ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer than normal. I hope you guys enjoy it! Xx

The Snake Pit. 10pm - Ask for Dodger.

The words ran through Betty's mind on a constant loop until the bell for Lunch finally rang. She found Jughead waiting outside the class for her and as they made their way towards the cafeteria, they eagerly voiced their thoughts to each other. Although he was from the Southside, Jughead didn't know that much about The Snake Pit except that it's a clubhouse reserved for Serpent members only. 

"Good thing you have a Serpents jacket." Betty whispered, a crooked smile playing on her lips. 

But not even that little detail could guarantee his entry or hers. It occurred to Betty now that the only connection she had to the Southside or to the Serpents for that matter, was Jughead and with doubt surrounding him- the son of The Serpent's respected leader- gaining access to The Snake Pit, she realized that her chances of getting in were highly unlikely, but they would cross that bridge when they came to it. 

The details of the plan were decided before their friends joined them at the lunch table, the gist of it being that they would go to The Snake Pit on Friday night, after Alice and Polly had left to attend a single parents seminar in Vancouver, to question Dodger. It's not that they didn't trust any of their friends with the details, but in most cases anything relating to the Southside was met with feigned thoughts and negativity. 

"B, when would it be appropriate to throw a party? One or two weeks from now?" Veronica asked as she sat down along with Archie and Kevin. 

Betty pondered the question for a moment. "I'd go with two just to be safe" she answered. Veronica opened her mouth to speak again, but Kevin beat her to the punch. 

"Ronnie, do you really think throwing this party is a good idea?" He questioned gently.

Veronica chewed on her bottom lip indecisively. "I know it seems a little unbecoming given everything that's happened recently, but to be honest, I think that's why we should do it." 

Everyone was quiet for a moment and the noise of the cafeteria washed over them as they thought it through. Maybe it was a little ambitious to throw a party during such a difficult time, but in all honesty, Betty couldn't see the harm in it.

"Well, I think it's a great idea! We could all use a little distraction right now." Archie said, earning himself a grateful peck from Veronica. 

"Well Archiekins is in! What about you guys?" Veronica asked beaming at her friends. 

Naturally, Betty and Kevin jumped on board with the idea as well, but it was Jughead's response that shocked everyone. 

"It's not the worst idea in the world." he admitted casually, causing everyone's jaws to drop in surprise and disbelief. Jughead noticed their incredulous behavior and chuckled. 

"What?" He asked. 

Out of everyone, Kevin was taken aback the most. "Honestly, I think we're all in shock! I mean Jughead Jones just approved the idea of having a party, it must be a sign of the apocalypse!" 

The rest of the week passed without incident and by the time Friday arrived, Betty was confident that nothing, not even God himself, could stop her and Jughead from getting the information they needed from Dodger. 

After saying goodbye to her mother and sister and promising that she would head to straight to Veronica's as soon as her 'date' with Jughead was done, Betty finished her homework and went upstairs to take a shower. As the warm water flowed over her body, Betty started to mentally prepare herself for their trip into the Southside. She would have to be more -- assertive if she wanted a person with a name like Dodger to take her seriously. 

Her choice of clothing was also an important factor to consider.  
Wrapped in a towel, Betty stood in front of her cupboard trying to decide what to wear. Her usual attire of cardigans and high necked jerseys would make her stick out like a sore thumb and draw too much attention. Eventually she decided on a pair of sneakers, blue jeans, Jughead's grey 'S' t-shirt and her navy blue flannel. 

Betty tied her damp hair up into her signature ponytail and admired herself in the full length mirror. 

"I hope this is okay." She mumbled to herself. 

"It is." Someone said unexpectedly, making Betty almost jump out of her skin. 

She spun around and saw Jughead leaning against the doorframe, a huge grin plastered on his face. Minus his sheepskin jacket, he was dressed in his usual choice of clothing consisting of worn boots, blue jeans, a black 'S' t-shirt, a maroon coloured hoodie and, of course, his beloved crown, shaped beanie. 

"God, you scared me!" Betty chuckled lightly. She looked at herself in the mirror again and turned back to him, uncertain. "Are you sure this is okay?" 

"Almost." Jughead said coyly. He smiled warmly as he stepped towards her, his eyes raking over her outfit. Betty stood still and watched as his long fingers slowly undid the buttons of her flannel. He pulled it off her shoulders and tied the arms around her waist before shrugging off his hoodie and helping her into it.

"There," he said, zipping it up and smiling down at her, "Now you won't freeze to death." 

Betty returned the smile. The hoodie was a little big for her, but it was also warm and it smelt like him so she didn't mind. She was in the middle of admiring herself in it when Jughead pulled her into a comfortable hug and kissed her forehead. Compared to his anxious behavior earlier that week he seemed to be a lot more at ease with himself. Betty savored the calm moment, knowing that it would gone soon. 

"By the way, who inspired this look?." He murmured against her head after a while. 

She tucked herself deeper into his chest. "Just some boy from the Southside. All I need is a crown shaped beanie and I'll be the spitting image of him." 

She felt Jughead's laughter erupt from his belly as he pulled away from her, his eyes gleaming.

"So, ready to enter The Snake Pit?" He asked.

Betty tightened her ponytail and sighed sharply. "As ready as I'll ever be Jug." 

~~~

It didn't take them very long to reach the Southside and as Jughead drove over the railway crossing, the atmosphere in the cab of his dad's truck changed. His shoulders tensed up as he became more alert and his eyes narrowed as they scanned the empty streets intensely. 

Betty sat quietly beside him, her eyes drifting between him and the black leather jacket on the bench seat next to her. She hadn't seen Jughead's Serpent jacket since the night of The Jubilee and the only clear image she could conjure up of it was that of a vicious, two-headed snake shaped in the form of an 'S' on its back.  
She remembered how apprehensive she had been after Jughead had accepted the jacket, but when he explained that it was a symbol of belonging and protection rather than an invitation to become a criminal, she had breathed a sigh of relief.

As Jughead pulled into the lot and parked the truck, Betty turned her attention to the clubhouse. It was a large, stand alone structure, old and dilapidated like the rest of the Southside and the only clue that indicated that they were in the right place was a green neon sign in the shape of a snake above the door. 

Betty glanced at Jughead and saw that he was staring at The Snake Pit too, but unlike her, his eyes were focused on the intimidating bouncer standing in front of the entrance. She knew what he was thinking. If Betty couldn't get past the bouncer and he could, than she'd have to wait out here in the truck while he spoke to Dodger alone. It was a situation he had agreed to, but didn't like in the slightest. Seeing his face etched with fear made Betty want to comfort him, but instead she watched as Jughead climbed out the truck, Serpent jacket in hand, and when he opened the door for her a few minutes later, he was wearing it. Although the well worn jacket hadn't always been his, it molded to his arms and shoulders perfectly and Betty's first thought was that it made him look more dangerous than he really was. 

Betty allowed Jughead to help her out the truck and once she was firmly on the ground, he stepped forward, without warning, and took her mouth with his in a long, passionate kiss.  
It was the first real kiss they had shared since the tragedy and Betty had almost forgotten how incredible it felt to have her lips pressed against his. She draped her arms around his neck as his hands moved up her back, pulling her closer, deepening their kiss, prolonging the moment, until Jughead finally pulled away. 

"What was that for?" Betty asked breathlessly. 

"Luck" he replied simply, flashing a broad smile at her. He took her hand and as they approached the entrance, the bouncer scowled when he saw a Serpent jacket on Jughead, but not on Betty. 

"State your business!" He commanded with authority. 

"We're here to see Dodger." Jughead said, still brimming with confidence from the kiss he had just shared with Betty. 

The bouncer looked him over before turning his attention to Betty, his eyes darkening when he did. "And her?" he asked bitterly. 

Betty felt herself shrink beneath the bouncers hard gaze and Jughead stepped closer to her, gripping her hand firmly. "She's with me." 

"What, is that supposed to mean something to me?" the bouncer laughed harshly.

Jughead scowled. "If you had any respect for my dad and what he's done for the Serpents it should." he clapped back.

The bouncer glared at them. "I swear if you weren't FP's kid I'd--" he started to mumble, clearly annoyed. "You'll find Dodger near the bar." He stepped aside to give them access, but stopped Betty with one of his massive hands. 

"I said she's --" but the bouncer held up his bear paw of a hand, silencing Jughead. 

"Just keep your head down girlie, people in there don't take too kindly to non-members." The warning in the bouncers voice was clear and threatening and it made Betty feel a little nervous when he finally let them pass. Luckily for them The Snake Pit wasn't very busy. Only a handful of Serpents occupied the couches and pool tables, all of them too busy talking, smoking or drinking to pay any real attention to them. 

Even so, Jughead kept Betty close as they made their way towards the bar at the far end of the room. No one was seated at the counter, only a young woman stood behind it waiting to serve people. She had short red hair, styled to look messy and one of her slender arms was covered in a sleeve of colourful tattoos. She leaned forward onto the counter when she saw them approaching. 

"What can I get you two lovebirds?" she asked, flashing a dazzling smile at them. 

"Information." Betty blurted out, suddenly finding her voice, "We're looking for Dodger." 

The bartender smiled wider. "Oh you are, are you?" 

"Yeah," Jughead said, not liking how amused the bartender was by them. "We just want to ask him a couple of questions about that girl who died recently; Emma Monroe." 

At the mention of Emma's name, the bartenders eyes widened slightly, but after a moment they quickly returned to their previous blasé state.

"Well honeys, look no further because you found her." She said gesturing to herself. 

"Oh ..." Betty said a little surprised, "Well we'd--" but Dodger shook her head, signaling Betty to stop. 

"Not here," she said, "Follow me." 

Dodger led Betty and Jughead out the back door and into a small fenced off garden behind the clubhouse. Amongst the long, frost covered grass and the miscellaneous junk sat an old, rusty table set. Dodger sat down on one of the chairs and gestured for Betty and Jughead to do the same. Betty sat down, but Jughead remained standing, a hard, impatient look written clearly on his face. 

Dodger took notice of this and smiled. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, FP didn't have much patience either." She said, pulling out a box of cigarettes and lighting one up. "So what do you guys want from me?" 

"We want to know why Emma came to see you two years ago." Betty said trying her best to sound assertive. 

Dodger took a long drag from her cigarette, exhaled the smoke into the cold evening air and pointed a finger at Betty. "You know, you remind me of her, the blonde hair ... the pushiness and believe me that girl was push--"

"What did she want?" Jughead repeated impatiently. Dodger turned to him, her eyes indifferent and uncaring. 

"You know, I can't seem to remember what she wanted" she said taking another long drag from her cigarette. 

Betty felt a wave of anger wash over her as she watched Dodger lean back into her chair wearing a smug smile. Who the hell did this girl think she was? She clearly knew more than she was letting on, and it infuriated Betty that she was just stringing them along, withholding information that could be valuable.  
Betty's hands had balled into fists when she felt Jughead's hand grab her shoulder, bringing her back, but it was too late. She could feel the fresh cuts sting slightly as she uncurled her fingers.

"Look," Betty began, trying to regain control, "You do realize that by not telling us anything you could be preventing the possible capture of a murderer? A murderer who could easily kill again! Emma Monroe died because she was investigating a serious matter in the Southside, something she trusted YOU with and came to YOU about. Doesn't that mean a God damn thing to you?" Betty's voice was even, but was laced with harshness as well, a combination which seemed to resonate with Dodger. 

"So you do have a backbone after all blondie" she said sounding genuinely impressed. Dodger took one last drag from her cigarette before snubbing it out in the ashtray and smiling up at them. "Alright, she came here asking about the drug trade in the Southside and I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told her two years ago; I don't know anything about it." 

"Why did she come to you in the first place?" Jughead asked. He glanced down at Betty and wondered briefly if she was okay. 

Dodger shrugged. "She had some crack pot theory that the Serpents were behind it- I mean who wouldn't think that right? And because this is where they all congregate, she naturally came here to ask questions." 

"So you don't think the Serpents are behind this?" Betty confirmed. 

"Trust me sweetie, the product that's being pushed on the streets right now just isn't in keeping with the Serpent's style, but -- I do know someone who might know a little more on this subject than me." Dodger pulled out a notepad and pen from her apron, wrote something down and handed it to Jughead. 

"An address?" He asked curiously. 

Dodger nodded. "For a guy named Johnny Moran. I pointed your girl Emma in the same direction. He'll be able to give you more info, but I'd wait a few weeks before you go and see him. He's been out of town for a few months and should be back by then." 

Jughead thanked her and with a dramatic swing of her arms, Dodger stood up from her seat. 

"Well, it's been a pleasure you two, but I'm late for my next shift." And with that, she turned on her heels and headed back inside. Betty stood up as well and felt Jughead grab her arm, pulling her to him. 

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice thick with worry. He turned her hands palm side up and looked at the fresh cuts there. Thankfully her nails had barely broken the skin. 

Betty sighed. "I'm fine, that girl just ... really annoyed me that's all." She watched then as Jughead lifted her hands up and kissed them softly, his concern for her evident in his eyes. Just seeing that broke Betty's heart. She hated it when she did things that made him worry about her. 

"I'm sorry Jug," she whispered, "I didn't mean to worry you." 

"Don't be sorry Betts." he said against her skin, "She pissed me off too, I just want to make sure you're okay." 

"I am and I promise it won't happen again" she said reassuringly. Jughead nodded and pressed another kiss to her palms. 

"Well, at least we got some new information and a fresh lead." He said trying to brighten the mood. 

"Yeah," Betty agreed, "Its too bad we have to wait a couple of weeks before we can chase it down!" 

Jughead chuckled. "Well, you know what they say; patience is a virtue Betty Cooper."


	8. The Warning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for some Bughead fluff and Veronica's party.

Two weeks passed quickly and as the last breath of Winter gripped Riverdale, a relatively calm air washed over the town once again. 

In the early hours of the morning, pale light trickled its way through a small crack in Betty's curtains making her room slightly visible. Jughead had been awake for awhile now, his mind racing.

The date of Veronica's highly anticipated party had finally arrived.  
With the talent show having been pushed back to a later stage, the social spotlight was shifted onto Veronica's party, and with every intention of meeting people's expectations, she had thrown all her time and effort into planning it, enlisting Betty's help in the process. 

Jughead wasn't phased by the idea, in fact he was happy that Betty had a distraction to get her through their three week investigation slump. The only downside was that he barely saw her outside of school and if he did she was often too tired to do anything except snuggle into him and sleep, not that he was complaining. 

Last night, however, had been different.

Jughead would be lying if he said he wasn't thrilled when Betty called and asked him to have dinner with her.  
They spent a good chunk of their evening in a cozy booth at Pop's; eating, laughing and talking, both of them completely lost in the diners welcoming atmosphere and each other's company. They took their time walking home and once everyone had fallen asleep, Jughead ascended the ladder into Betty's room.

They tangled themselves up on her bed and spoke again for what felt like hours, stifling laughs and stealing kisses in between conversations. The warmth, comfort and ease they felt in the moment allowed each kiss they shared to become deeper, more passionate until they finally and gladly gave in to each other. 

Jughead turned his head and swallowed when his eyes fell on Betty's bare back and shoulders. It was first time they'd had sex since everything had happened and the experience reminded him of how amazing it was to love her and to be loved by her. He moved until he was close enough to wrap his arm around her waist and pressed a few soft kisses to her shoulder. Betty woke at Jughead's touch and shifted until she was facing him, a dreamy smile on her lips. 

"Morning" she said and giggled when Jughead kissed her in response. "Did you sleep well?" 

"Best sleep I've had in a while!" he said, smiling with satisfaction, "Last night was incredible." Betty flushed and moved until her forehead was pressed against his.

"Mmmm," she murmured as Jughead's fingers skimmed over her smooth skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Betty smiled, but there was something off about it, a tinge of sadness which didn't go unnoticed by Jughead. 

"Hey, is .. is everything okay?" he asked quietly, "Did something happen last night or ..."

"No!" Betty said, cutting him off quickly, "No, last night was wonderful it's just ..." she trailed off, not quite sure what to say. 

"It's just what?" He pressed gently. Betty hesitated, struggling with her words until she found the right ones. 

"It's just, a part of me feels, I don't know ... guilty, because while we were together, having the most incredible time we--" 

"--Forgot." Jughead finished for her. Betty looked at him and was relieved when she saw comprehension in his eyes. He understood. It's not that she didn't want last night to happen, but it felt wrong to be happy- to forget, and as ridiculous as it sounds, Betty believed that if she wasn't thinking about Emma than no one else was. 

"I get it," he said after a while, "But this was bound to happen Betts. We can't live in the past forever, at some point we have to move forward." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "We're human, flawed and no where close to perfect, you don't need to feel guilty about that." 

Betty groaned into her pillow, feeling incredibly stupid. Jughead was right. Here they were in the warmth and comfort of her bed, waking up from one of the best evenings of her life and she felt guilty. What the hell was wrong with her? She should be brimming with happiness, not talking or worrying about a murder for goodness sakes!  
Jughead chuckled at Betty's silent self loathing and pulled her into his chest. They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other's warmth, until Betty's alarm went off. 

"Ugh" she mumbled as she turned it off. "That's my cue to get up. I have to help Ronnie prepare for tonight." 

Jughead smirked. "Isn't it a little early to be doing that?"

"Not if you have to get a boat load of supplies still and organize some last minute details." she gave him an apologetic kiss and reluctantly slipped out of bed. Jughead sank back into the pillows and watched with amusement as Betty's 'Party Planning Persona' took over once again.

~~~

Jughead sat in the darkened cab of his dad's truck, his hands clutching the steering wheel tightly. He'd been there for a while, listening to the loud, bass heavy music emanating from The Pembrooke Apartments. He hadn't planned on sitting here for as long as he had, but he didn't want to face the entire student body looking like a deer in the headlights. 

That morning, after he had left Betty at the 'mercy' of Veronica Lodge, Jughead decided to stop by his dad's trailer to check on things. 

He had barely left the truck and taken two steps towards his former home when he encountered Dom, a large, burly Serpent with long grey hair and an unkempt beard. He was one of FP's oldest and closest friends, someone Jughead had known since he was a kid. It was good to see him ... at first. 

"Does your dad know about this?" Dom asked, gesturing to Jughead's Serpent jacket. 

"No, I didn't think it was important. Besides, it's just a jacket," Jughead replied causally. Dom's eyes narrowed at the cavalier response. 

"It's not 'just a jacket' Jughead, it's a symbol for a way of life your father wanted you to have nothing to do with!"

The words rang in Jughead's ears. He knew that his father didn't want him anywhere near the Southside Serpents, but things just kind of panned out that way. In any case, he wasn't a Serpent by nature and all this jacket offered him was a form of protection he couldn't get from his family anymore. With his dad in jail and his mom and sister in Toledo, Jughead was alone on the Southside-- having the jacket rectified that. 

Jughead stayed quiet, and it was this simple response that seemed to crack through Dom's rigid exterior. 

He sighed. "Look, I know you wear that jacket for a different reason than most of us do. I'm only bringing it up, because some of the guys said they saw you and one of The Cooper girls talking to Dodger at The Snake Pit a couple of weeks ago."

Jughead raised his eyes brows in surprise, not because Dom knew he'd been to The Snake Pit, but because the Serpents knew who Betty was. He didn't think anyone on the Southside knew The Coopers let alone Betty. It made him a little nervous given that he knew some of the Serpents couldn't be trusted.

Dom paused to read Jughead's expression, his eyes softening as he did, and after a few seconds he continued. 

"I won't bother asking you about your conversation with Dodger, I don't want you to lie to me, I just want you to be careful kid. Whatever you're getting yourself into, just make sure it's worth it. You know as well as I do that this town isn't hiding it's darkness anymore and if you're not careful you'll be consumed by it." 

Recalling the conversation didn't ease the discomfort brought on by Dom's warning and even though a part of Jughead wanted to heed it, a larger part of him also wanted to bring Emma's killer to justice. This was his dilemma.

He felt his phone vibrate, bringing him back to reality. It was a text from Betty. 

Betty: Where are you? Is everything okay?

Jughead sighed. He was already late, but if he stayed here any longer Betty would definitely send a search party after him. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and exited the truck without hesitation, leaving his doubts and fears behind.

It was unfortunate that Jughead had to share the elevator with a group of rowdy jocks and even though they too drunk and wrapped up in themselves to take any notice of his presence, he still wished he had taken the stairs. When the doors opened again, the boisterous and obnoxious sounds of the party smashed into him without mercy, making him cringe. 

The party was in full swing and almost every inch of Veronica's apartment was crammed with sweaty, tipsy teenagers, all drinking whatever alcohol they could get their hands on from red solo cups. The atmosphere was hot and sticky and the music was thumping so loud that Jughead could barely hear himself think. As he squeezed his way through the unruly mob, desperately searching for Betty, he suddenly felt his shoulder collide with someone causing them to spill their drink all over his shirt. 

"Watch where you're going you hobo!" said a familiar, snarky voice he could recognize anywhere. Even in the faint glow of the party lights Jughead could clearly see Cheryl Blossom glaring at him with disdain. 

"If you wanted a drink beanie boy all you had to do was ask!" she spat, shoving her cup into his hands roughly, causing the remaining liquid to splash all over him. Cheryl smiled triumphantly and with a flick of her fiery red hair, she pushed past him and disappeared into the crowd.

"Okay" Jughead mumbled as he ducked out the way of a drunk couple and made his way to a relatively 'calm' area of the rave. At this rate, finding Betty in this chaotic mess was going to take him hours. He needed to think. Where would Betty be at a party? She wouldn't be in any of the bedrooms and she wasn't anywhere in the main area of the apartment. The kitchen maybe? That's where he would be. It was worth a shot.

After battling his way through the swarm of students again, Jughead finally found Betty and Veronica in the kitchen crouching over a clearly intoxicated Archie. As he entered the room, Jughead was so mesmerized by the sight of Betty in her white button down and blue jeans that he almost didn't notice the blood on Archie's forehead. 

"What the heck happened? he asked suddenly, drawing the girls attention to him. Betty looked elated to see him while Veronica merely smiled before turning her attention back to Archie. 

"Archie had a little too much to drink and he fell." Betty explained as she greeted Jughead with a kiss on the cheek. He slipped his arm around her waist automatically. 

"Is he alright though?" Jughead asked, looking over his best friend with concern. 

"He's fine. Maybe a little dazed and confused, but he's still with us." Veronica answered as she gently caressed Archie's cheek, eliciting a weak, but grateful smile from the redhead. Jughead smiled in return and shifted his focus to Betty, bringing her closer.

"I'm sorry by the way." 

"Sorry?" she mused. 

"For being late and making you worry." 

Betty smiled at him sweetly. "It's okay Jug, I know this isn't exactly your scene. I'm just glad you're okay."

For a moment, Jughead considered mentioning his conversation with Dom to Betty, but when she pulled in for a hug, the thought immediately left his mind. He allowed Betty to invade his senses completely, given that her sweet, hypnotic scent was a lot more inviting than the pungent odour of clammy party goers.

"Juggie?" 

"Mmmm" he mumbled into her neck. 

"Why are you all wet and sticky?" She pulled back to look at him, her expression curious and slightly amused.

"Oh yeah," he chuckled, "Cheryl spilt her drink all over me earlier. And people wonder why I hate parties." 

Betty chuckled as well. "You know, I have a theory about your hatred of parties."

"Oh, do you now?" he teased playfully.

Betty smirked up at him. "Yup, and it's not even that complicated, you've just never been to a party with your girlfriend before." 

Jughead laughed hysterically. "Wow, that actually sounds plausible".

He already knew what Betty's intentions were and as she lifted herself to him, he forced everything out of his mind except her. Their lips had barely touched when Kevin came bursting into the kitchen, breathless and clearly shocked.

"Guys, something's happened outside!"

The party quieted down as the news spread across the room and it wasn't long until everyone was on the pavement outside trying to get a good look at the scene. As he exited the building, Jughead looked down the street and felt his heart drop when he saw where everyone had gathered. He clutched Betty's hand tightly, bringing her to a stop. 

"Jug, what's ..." but Betty stopped when she saw the look of horror on his face.

It took a few tries, but Betty eventually coaxed him towards the scene and as they arrived, the crowd broke up revealing the remains of FP's truck. The vehicle was in a terrible state. The headlights and windows had been smashed in, the tyres and seats had been slashed, and large dents had been rammed into the trucks framework. Despite the extensive damage, Betty noticed that everyone was staring specifically at the bonnet. She stepped forward and gasped when she saw what they were all looking at. 

An sinister message had been roughly carved into the faded green paint, its meaning simple and clear:

"STAY AWAY!!!"


	9. Exposure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens ... ;)

Betty sat behind her desk in the Blue and Gold's office, trying and failing to edit an article for the papers next edition. Outside, the sun was slowly sinking towards the horizon, filling the room with growing shadows and soft, golden light. It was getting late and Betty knew that it was only a matter of time until she got 'The Call' from her mother, commanding her to come home. She looked over the article about the schools approaching talent show one more time before closing the laptop in defeat.

To say that she was furious would be an understatement. It had been almost a week since Jughead's truck had been vandalized and in that time no one had been able to determine what had actually happened that night. Inquiries were made, statements were taken and the scene was examined extensively, but it all amounted to precious little. The party had been a major distraction, so much so, that by the time anyone had noticed the damaged truck the culprit or culprits had fled the scene long ago. 

"Maybe if Sheriff Clueless and his merry band of morons hadn't eased up on their intense police presence this wouldn't have happened" she muttered bitterly. 

Having given up on work, Betty shifted her chair closer to the offices old leather couch where Jughead was sleeping soundly. She was glad to see that he was finally getting some rest. The past week had been intense and unduly hard on him and even though he tried his best to hide it, Betty could tell that not having any answers bothered him immensely. However, now that he wasn't facing reality, she thought he looked a lot more serene, his handsome face having taken on a more boyish and carefree tone. It was a welcoming sight amongst all the turmoil and she decided to put off waking him up for a little bit longer.

Betty sighed and without really meaning to, glanced at the mass of files on Jughead's desk. Before the party they had looked through a few more hoping to find anything they could relate to Emma's investigation, but apart from a few articles about a string of unexplained attacks on the Southside, there was nothing. 

They hadn't spoken about the investigation since and whenever she brought it up, Jughead would either avoid the conversation or change the topic onto something else. It wasn't difficult to figure out why. Betty knew that the incident with his dad's truck had put him on edge and rightly so. It was a threat, a warning, one that didn't just affect him, but everyone in his life including her. Protecting the people he cares about suddenly became Jughead's number one priority and without even asking her, he had spent every night of the passed week in her bed, just so that he could have the comfort of knowing that she was completely safe. Not that Betty minded, she always slept better when he was around. 

Unable to help herself, she brushed the ever present curl of dark hair off his forehead and smiled when he stirred at her touch. Despite the fact that he had been asleep for almost four hours, Jughead still looked exhausted when he opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Hey," he said groggily. He sat up on the couch and rubbed his eyes. "How long have I been asleep?" 

"Almost four hours," she said, smiling when he leaned in closer and took her hand. "Do you feel any better?" 

"A little." he admitted, as his long fingers twisted with her delicate ones, trying to capture and hold them. Betty smiled as she escaped his attempts each time until he playfully clamped his hand down on hers, making her giggle. A discernible silence fell between them, during which time he continued to mindlessly play with her fingers. 

"Juggie?" she asked after a while.

"Hmmm?". Betty chewed on her bottom lip, suddenly feeling a little nervous. 

"When are we going to see Johnny Moran?" 

To her surprise, Jughead didn't react to the question immediately. He stayed silent and kept his eyes fixed on their hands for a while. She waited patiently and when the only response she got was a sigh and his other hand joining theirs, she knew what was coming.

"Did you finish editing that article?" he asked eventually, inevitably changing the subject. Betty pressed her lips together in a hard line.

"Stop doing that." 

"Doing what?" he asked flatly. 

"Avoiding the subject!". Jughead stilled and when he looked at her his eyes narrowed.

"I'm not avoiding anything." 

"Yes you are!" Betty accused heatedly. Annoyed and frustrated she ripped her hand away from him and started walking towards the opposite end of the room. Jughead cursed under his breath and when she reached the office door she felt his hand grab her arm bringing her to stop. 

"Betty, wait --"

"No Jughead!" she said turning around and cutting him off, "I get that what happened with your dad's truck really freaked you out, trust me, it freaked me out as well! But it's also made me more determined than ever to figure out who's behind this. I know you're trying to keep me safe, but no matter what you say or do I'm still going to talk to Johnny Moran and continue this investigation with or without you're help." 

When she started to turn back to the door, he grabbed her by the shoulders, ceasing her movements once again. The action forced her to look at him, to see the striking guilt in his blue eyes and it was so intense that she didn't even resist or protest when he pulled her into his chest and hugged her. 

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly, his voice soft against her ear, "I'm sorry, you know I'd never let you to do this alone. It's just ... different for me this time." 

"Why though? It's not like we haven't done this before Jug"

"I know Betts," he said tightening his arms around her slightly, "But this time we're intentionally putting ourselves in harms way. That's a pretty big deal and I'm not sure what I'd do if something ever happened to you." 

Betty allowed the last of her anger to dissipate with a heavy sigh and tucked herself deeper into his chest. "I know." she whispered, returning the pressure of his hug, "But it's kind of what we signed up for when we looked at that file." 

"Funny, I don't remember signing anything." Jughead joked lightly. She pulled back to look at him questionably and he sighed, knowing already that he'd lost the battle. Betty was right. He shouldn't have avoided things the way he had. They had to see this through, not just for themselves, but for Emma and the entire town.

"Alright," he said with a small smile, "We'll go and see Johnny first thing tomorrow."

~~~ 

Johnny Moran's trailer was in a part of The Sunnyside Trailer Park Betty had never been to before. Situated on the edge of Evergreen Forests towering tree line, the trailer almost looked abandoned when she and Jughead approached it the following morning. It was isolated from the rest of the park and if it wasn't for the motorbike parked out front, they wouldn't have guessed anyone even lived there. 

When they reached the front door, Betty grabbed Jughead's arm and, out of habit, started to fiddle with the sleeve of his sheepskin jacket. He had decided not to wear his Serpent one based on the notion that their presence in the Southside would go unnoticed. Jughead gave her a reassuring smile before he knocked on the door. It opened moments later, revealing a stubble ridden man with messy, unkempt brown hair and dark blue eyes. 

Betty's first thought was that his disheveled appearance and puffy, red eyes made him look like he was recovering from a rough night of drinking and crying. Of all the times she had pictured Johnny Moran, this particular description hadn't come to mind. For starters she didn't expect him to be so ... young. He must've been about Emma's age, but the hard look on his face made him look much older than he was.

"What do you want?" he asked bitterly. His eyes ran over Betty first and then Jughead, a small amount of recognition twinkling in them when he did. Betty stood back and stayed quiet, allowing Jughead to take the lead. 

"We want to ask you some questions about Emma Monroe." Jughead explained. Johnny's eyes narrowed and he folded his arms across his chest. 

"Why?" he asked stiffly, not bothering to hide the aggressive tone to his voice. Betty picked up on it immediately, noticing the pained look in his eyes he was trying desperately to conceal. She studied him for a moment and wondered what his relationship with Emma really was. 

"We're trying to figure out who killed her and why." Jughead admitted honestly and Johnny scoffed in disbelief. 

"You're just a couple of kids, what difference could you possibly make?" 

"Turn us down and you'll never find out." Jughead replied with a simple shrug of his shoulders. 

It took a few minutes, but Jughead's words seemed to resonate with Johnny enough for him to step aside and let them into his home. The inside of his trailer was like FP's only smaller and in its current state it looked very much like it's owner, broken and uncared for. As Betty and Jughead shrugged out of their jackets to hang them up, Betty noticed a leather one hanging from one of the hooks, reminding her that this emotionally shattered man was a tough Serpent. 

Johnny gestured for them to sit down at the small dining room table and offered them a drink which they both declined. He just shrugged and pulled out a glass and a bottle of whiskey for himself. Betty raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Someone's a little upset." she muttered to Jughead as they sat down beside each other. Johnny joined them shortly after, flopping down into his own seat. He poured himself a healthy amount of whiskey and sank back into his chair with a sigh. 

"Ask away." he said with an unenthusiastic swing of this glass. Ignoring Johnny's sarcasm, Jughead pulled out his trusty notebook and once he was ready, Betty spoke. 

"Why did Emma come and see you two years ago?" she asked trying to be as delicate as possible. Johnny simply shrugged and sipped his drink. 

"Pretty much for the same reason you're here," he said allowing some restraint to take over, "She heard about the attacks on the Southside and since the people who were being targeted were either buying or selling drugs, she figured it was gang related ..." Johnny paused to drink, giving Jughead an opportunity to jot down the information in his notebook before he continued, "... after talking to Dodger she put forward a theory that it was another gang muscling in on The Serpents and came to see me."

"So you were her source?" Jughead asked and Johnny made a non-committal gesture, lifting the glass to his lips. 

"On more than one occasion. If I had something interesting to tell her, then I told her." Jughead set his pen down and looked at him with resolve. 

"So what did you tell her about the drug trade on the Southside?" 

Johnny sighed and downed the last of his drink before leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. 

"Not much," he admitted with a laugh, "At the time I didn't know a lot about the inner workings of The Serpents especially when it came to the 'business' side of things. Dodger only pointed her in my direction because FP trusted me with details if I asked for them." He reached for the whiskey again and poured himself some more. Betty saw Jughead's jaw clench, his eyes fixing on the glass of alcohol with distain and she quickly placed her hand over his, an interaction that didn't go unnoticed by Johnny. 

"Got a problem with drinking?" He asked with an amused smirk. Betty squeezed Jughead's hand and was relieved when he returned the pressure.

"We're not talking about me," Jughead snapped back firmly, "If you couldn't help her then what did you and Emma end up doing?" 

"She asked me to poke around, stick my nose in places where I shouldn't. That sort of thing." He smirked and drank again when he saw Betty pull Jughead's hand under the table, "Long story short, she wasn't far off."

"So, it was another gang?" Betty said out loud and Jughead nodded, his eyebrows pulling together as he and Betty silently considered the new information. 

"It was all about territory," Johnny piped up suddenly, bringing their attention back to him, "And the only reason why it all stopped was because FP sat down with the other gangs bigwig and worked out a deal: If we let their product circulate our streets then the attacks would stop." 

With new details to process and with no desire to watch Johnny drink, Jughead stood up silently and started to pace the length of Johnny's small kitchen, releasing Betty's hand in the process. She watched him for a minute before turning her attention back to Johnny. 

"So, what do you know about the other gang?" 

Johnny shrugged. "I know they call themselves the Ghoulies, but apart from that, not much else. FP kept any other details under wraps to protect us ... but, clearly that didn't stop or help Emma." 

Betty nodded and watched as Johnny absentmindedly swirled the liquid in his glass before setting it down on the table with a sad, heartfelt sigh. 

"You really cared about her, didn't you?" she said before she could think any better of it. Johnny's eyes flew up to meet hers, burning with hostility until he saw the sympathy in hers. He nodded in response and then let out a throaty laugh. 

"I did ...," he said with a shake of his head, " ... but a girl from the North and a boy from the South ... it was doomed from the start," he sighed as his eyes drifted between Betty and Jughead, "But I guess every rule has its exception."

In that moment, Betty saw all the anger and bitterness he'd been displaying fade away only for it to be replaced with sadness and grief. She reached her hand out to comfort him, but quickly retracted it. 

"Is that why she left two years ago?" she asked, keeping her voice even and respectful. Johnny shook his head. 

"She left for her own protection," he explained quietly. "I was jumped the one evening and when she came to visit me in hospital I told her she had to leave. I figured if they could work out that I was asking questions they'd eventually connect her to it as well. She left the following morning and that was the last time I saw her"

The room suddenly went quiet as Johnny's words hung in the air. Having watched the exchange from the kitchen, Jughead could see that Johnny had nothing left to say, that he wanted to be alone, and in all honesty he'd given them enough information to progress their investigation. With a sigh Jughead returned to the table and leaned in closer to Betty. 

"I think we should go." he whispered against her ear and Betty nodded in agreement. They stood up to leave.

"Thanks for your help Johnny," Jughead said quietly, feeling slightly awkward in the face of Johnny's vulnerable state. 

But Johnny didn't seem to hear him though. He was busy fiddling with his glass again, clearly wrapped up in own thoughts and it was as only when Betty and Jughead moved to put on their coats that his eyes focused on them again. 

He waited until they reached the door before he moved to grab Betty's arm. Jughead reacted immediately, but Betty placed her hand on his chest keeping him in place. Johnny loosened his grip on Betty's arm, but didn't let her go entirely. The look on his face was severe, but she could still see the vulnerability in his eyes. 

"Promise me one thing," he said hoarsely, tears forming in the corners of his eyes, "Promise me, you'll find whoever did this ... not for me, but for Emma. She deserves that much."


	10. A Clash and A Show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait guys, things were a bit crazy on my end!! But I hope you enjoy the new chapter and thanks for all the support!!! Xxx

The next few days passed in haze of deep debate and contemplation. Betty and Jughead spent almost every waking hour discussing their recent conversation with Johnny, which unfortunately left them with more questions than answers. 

Even though it felt a little wrong, they decided not to go to the police based on the fact that the new information they had gathered couldn't really be termed as evidence. They needed something more concrete, otherwise it would definitely be brushed off as speculation or just be overlooked entirely. 

With that idea out the window, Betty suggested they talk to The Serpents again, but Jughead responded to that idea with a firm 'no', explaining that after his recent chat with Dom, he had no intention of exposing Betty to the Serpents unless he really had too.

This left them at a bit of a crossroads. 

Their only lead at the moment was The Ghoulies and it wasn't much of a lead given that they didn't know anything about them. Who are they? What was their monopoly on Riverdale? Were they tied to Emma Monroe's death? and if so then how? These were just some the questions they desperately needed answers too.

"We could always get Kevin to ask his Dad about it?" Betty suggested suddenly, "I mean think about it, Keller must have encountered the Ghoulies or the aftermath of their actions at some point, he might know something." 

This was just one of the many suggestions they had put forward since school had ended an hour ago and they had taken refuge within the walls of The Blue and Gold's office.

"Didn't we already agree not to involve the police?" Jughead asked, smiling at her enthusiasm.

"We did, but technically we're not involving the police. We're just asking a son to talk to his father about another gang possibly operating in the area, because if Keller does know something we should seize every opportunity we can to find out what it is." Betty was rambling now, trying to convince him, and Jughead couldn't help but chuckle at her unwavering determination. He had to admit, it wasn't a terrible idea, but a part of him was still pretty skeptical that Keller would know anything of great importance, given that he was useless most of the time. With a sigh, he perched himself on the edge of his desk and silently pondered her words. 

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to see what we can squeeze out of Sheriff Clueless. It's not like we have much else to go on anyway." he said after a while.

Betty stopped to look at him, her eyes searching his attentively, and when she saw that he was being serious, a triumphant smile spread across her beautiful face. Jughead's anticipation only grew as he watched her approach him and once she had settled between his legs, he pulled her in for a soft kiss. 

"Okay, so I'll talk to Kevin tonight," she confirmed and Jughead nodded in agreement, "And speaking of tonight, we should probably go."

"Go?" Jughead asked as he tried to pull her in for another kiss. She grinned and pushed him back. 

"Yes," she said, giggling at the confused look on his face, "I have to help Veronica get ready for the Talent Show tonight and you have to keep yourself busy until then. I suggest Pops or a nap."

"I'd rather go to Pops with you than go alone," he admitted with a sigh, "What do you have to help Veronica with anyway?" 

"Seriously Jug?," she said as if it should be obvious "There's hair and makeup, outfit choosing and nerve settling ... I told you all of this at lunch." 

"Oh ...," Jughead said feeling a little disappointed, one; because he hadn't been paying attention to Betty and two; because she was about to leave and he hated it when she wasn't around. "Sorry." he apologized sheepishly. 

Betty smiled at him warmly and brushed the hair off his forehead. "Don't be sorry, just make sure you get your distracted butt to the show tonight and all will be forgiven."

"I'm pretty sure Veronica would kill me if I didn't show up to support her and Archie, so don't worry, I'll be there."

Betty giggled at his remark and Jughead smiled when he felt her fingers play with the hair above his neck. She leaned in then and brushed her lips against his lightly and Jughead was so overwhelmed by the move that he tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. His actions intensified the kiss that followed and the desperation Betty felt in the moment forced her hands to slip into his hair so she could grip it properly. They broke apart minutes later, out of breath and completely sated. A broad smile spread across Jughead's face and before he could even open his eyes or form a coherent thought, Betty pressed another kiss to his lips and then she was gone, her hurried footsteps echoing down the hallway. 

~~~

Having taken Betty's suggestion to heart, Jughead spent the rest of his afternoon in a quiet booth at Pops and only went back to Archie's house to change before the show. By the time he approached Riverdale High a few hours later, the sun had dipped well below the horizon allowing the cool Spring evening to wash over the town with ease. 

Jughead thought it was really strange seeing the school at night and felt as though had stumbled into a new place that seemed oddly familiar. Bright lights, posters and banners welcomed the families who had gathered outside in the schools parking lot and amongst the small groups of gossiping people, Jughead spotted Fred Andrews talking to Alice and Polly Cooper. They caught sight of him as he approached and all of them, including Alice Cooper, smiled. 

"Good evening Jughead," she said, her voice a classic 'Alice Cooper' combination of stern yet sweet. Fred clasped his arm around Jughead's shoulders and Polly greeted him a warm smile. "If you're looking for Betty I think she's inside." Alice continued with a small smile of her own. 

Jughead was about to thank her when he spotted a stocky man with short blonde hair emerge from the far end of parking lot. Jughead couldn't help but notice that Hal Cooper seemed a little nervous as he walked towards them, his fingers fidgeting non stop with his loosely trucked shirt and the sleeves of his jacket. Of course, it wasn't long until he figured out why. Alice Cooper's whole demeanor changed and her eyes filled with mild disappointment when her 'husband' joined them. In comparison, Polly was overjoyed to see her father and threw her arms around him immediately. Jughead knew that Betty and Polly didn't get to see him a lot these days given that he was staying in a hotel while he and his wife 'figured things out'. 

Sensing the fresh tension in air, Jughead quietly excused himself and headed inside. By this point everyone had started filing into the hallways as well. The auditorium was loud and crowded and by the time Jughead managed to get through the doors, the show was just about to start. He sighed, disheartened by the fact that he would have to find Betty afterwards. 

He chose a spot against the wall in the back, preferring the view and solitude. The first few acts came on soon after and he didn't think they were anything special, but if he was being entirely honest he was a little bias given that he was only there to support Archie and Veronica. During a particularly cringeworthy ventriloquist act, Jughead caught sight of Betty standing just off the stage and chuckled when he saw her trying to mask her discomfort with a smile. 

When Archie and Veronica eventually came on, they were greeted with an overwhelming cheer from the crowd, making it clear who the fan favorites were. Jughead didn't recognize the song they played, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. He watched as they move around the stage together, entertaining the crowd as they fed off each other's energy and talent. He shifted his eyes to Betty and smiled warmly when he saw how genuinely happy she was watching her friends. 

"Enjoying the view?" a voiced asked beside him. The unexpected noise made Jughead flinch momentarily until his eyes fell on the person standing next to him. 

Johnny Moran looked a million times better than he had the last time Jughead had seen him, the most noticeable change being his sober behavior and the return of his self-control, but his eyes now held an air of shame and regret when he looked at Jughead. 

"Can we talk?" he asked quietly. 

Archie and Veronica's performance ended then and the crowd erupted into ecstatic cheers. Jughead nodded and as he followed after Johnny, he glanced back in Betty's direction just in time to see her hug both Archie and Veronica. 

Once outside, Jughead sat down on the schools front steps. He could hear the next performance starting up inside, a half hearted music act that didn't hold a candle to his friends. Johnny stood before him, his anxious behavior unnerving the space around them. 

"So what did you want to talk about?" 

Johnny chewed on his words for a moment, unsure and clearly tongue tied. 

"I just ... wanted to apologize" he began quietly, "The last time you and your girlfriend saw me, I was ..... I was rude and messed up and I'm sorry if I offended you or her in any way." 

Jughead searched the man's eyes intently. Having grown up in a childhood filled with lies and liars, he had become something of an expert when it came to the art of deception. Which is why he could believe Johnny's heartfelt apology and could tell that there was more to this visit than he was letting on. 

"You really came here just to apologize?" Jughead asked incredulously. Johnny shifted his weight nervously and ran his fingers through his hair. 

"Well technically I did," he admitted, "but I also came to make sure you and your girl--" 

"--Betty." 

"What?" 

"Her name is Betty." Jughead repeated with a crooked smile. 

"Betty ..." Johnny nodded and he seemed to relax when he saw Jughead smile, "Well I just wanted to make sure the two of you were okay." 

"We're fine, why wouldn't we be?" 

Johnny sighed heavily then and sat down beside Jughead and any comfort he had just gained a moment ago, seemed to waver a little as he pushed himself to speak again. 

"Because ... I may have put you both in danger," he said honestly. He focused his weighty eyes on Jughead, trying to emphasize how serious he was. "That morning when you came to see me I told you about the Ghoulies, not realizing that the two of you would start to look into them so you could find out what happened to Emma. I'm no fool. I know that what we were investigating two years ago played a role in her death and I'm pretty sure the Ghoulies had something to do with it too. I came here tonight to apologize and because I wanted to dissuade you." 

"And what, you don't want to anymore?" Jughead wondered. 

"Well, no" he laughed, "I'm still kinda hoping you guys will see the light .... but I suspect that won't happen anytime soon. So, despite my better judgment, I'm gonna help you." 

"Okay, how do you plan on doing that?" Jughead had to admit he was a little confused, but Johnny seemed certain that he could help them and he wasn't about to turn down a potential lead.

"Okay, so I might've lied about not knowing anything more about the Ghoulies," Johnny said, casting a sideways glance at Jughead, "Well actually I don't know anything, but Emma did. Even after FP warned us to stop looking into them, she carried on investigating. That's ultimately why I was attacked that night. They were sending her a message, telling her she needed to leave. And she did, but not before she told me where I could find her ...." 

But Johnny trailed off when his eyes fell on the far end of the parking lot. He went tense almost immediately and clenched his fists in anger as he stood up. 

"What the hell are they doing here?" he snapped harshly. Confused, Jughead stood up as well and followed Johnny's eyes until he spotted a truck in the distance. 

"What's ..." but Jughead stopped mid-sentence as well when he saw three men suddenly emerge from truck. Two from the cab and one from the trucks bed. 

He felt Johnny stiffen beside him as the new arrivals approached, their gait noticeably slow and menacing. As they got closer, Jughead realized they were actually quite young, but that didn't make them any less intimidating. 

Jughead's eyes shifted to the one who walked slightly a head of the other two. He presented himself arrogantly, as someone who believed himself to be more superior than anyone else around him, even though he was short and less intimidating than most on a physical level. Jughead disliked him instantly and, apparently, so did Johnny. 

"I'm pretty sure you three are a little far from home." he said curtly as the young Serpents reached them. The 'leader' of the trio sneered at him, clearly enjoying the discomfort he caused. 

"I could say the same thing about you Johnny-boy." he quipped back in a voice that suited his arrogance. 

"What the hell do you want Levi?" Johnny demanded. His patience was wearing thin and Jughead could almost feel the heat pooling off him as he glared at them expectantly. 

"Oh come now Johnny," Levi replied with false innocence, "The boys and I were just passing by when we saw you and ..." his eyes shifted to Jughead and he smirked, "... and The Crowned Prince of The Southside himself. What. An. Honour." 

Jughead couldn't help the scowl that crossed his face when Levi bowed at him sarcastically. 

"Back off Levi," Johnny warned, but the arrogant Serpent ignored him, keeping his malicious eyes fixed on Jughead. 

"Where's your leather jacket My Liege?" he asked, pretending to be astonished, "Oh, I forgot you only wear it when it suits you to be one of us!" 

Jughead knew that Levi was taunting him and unfortunately, he was rising to bait. He felt his hands ball into fists and clenched his jaw as he watched the three Serpents laugh at his expense. Sensing Jughead's exasperation, Johnny quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, as if pleading for him to not get involved and to his relief Jughead relaxed a little. 

"Hey, ... where's that little blonde of yours?" Levi piped up suddenly and Jughead's shoulders tightened again as quickly as they had relaxed. 

"Levi ... I'm warning you!" Johnny threatened harshly, but the conceited moron didn't listen as he continued to provoke Jughead. 

"You know Juggles, next time you come to The Snake Pit you should bring her with again. That way we can ... all get to know her a little better." 

The nasty smirk on his face and the evil intent in his eyes made Jughead's stomach twist horribly as he pictured exactly what was on Levi's mind right now. He should have controlled himself. Reminded himself that Levi's sole purpose in being here was to cause trouble, to annoy him. 

But he didn't. 

And before he could think any better of it, Jughead slammed his fist into Levi's jaw. 

~~~

Betty stood just off the stage, smiling broadly as she watched Archie and Veronica's performance. They really were amazing and it was easy to see why the audience loved them them so much. Their dynamic certainly was infectious. Betty scanned over the energetic crowd until she spotted Jughead leaning against the wall in the back, his mirth filled eyes fixed on the stage. 

A loud cheer of applause brought her attention back to Archie and Ronnie as they came off the stage, sweating and brimming with confidence. She hugged them both, gushing to them about about their performance before Archie pulled Veronica close for a searing kiss.  
With a smile, Betty averted her eyes to give them some privacy and instead, focused on the back of the auditorium hoping to see Jughead again- but to her surprise, he wasn't there anymore.  
Confused, she ran her eyes over the crowd carefully and her discomfort swelled up inside her when she couldn't find him anywhere.

"Hey, what's the matter B?" She felt Veronica grab her shoulder and reluctantly tore her eyes away from the search. 

"Nothing, its just ... I saw Jughead earlier and I can't seem to find him now."

"Maybe he's making his way back here?" Archie suggested as he knelt down to put his guitar away.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's fine B," Veronica said gently and Betty nodded, though not entirely convinced.

Ten minutes passed and when there was still no sign of Jughead, Betty started to worry again. 

"Just call him B!" Veronica pleaded from beside Archie as her best friend paced in front of them nervously. Betty nodded and was about to pull out her phone when Dilton Doiley came running over to them. 

"Guys, GUYS! Jughead's fighting these guys outside!" he said breathlessly and Betty's heart dropped.

"What!" she and Veronica said at the same time and Dilton opened his mouth to speak again, but Archie cut him off. 

"Where!" he demanded gruffly. 

"Out front, near the steps." Dilton managed to say before Archie pushed past him and broke out into a full on sprint. 

By the time Betty and Veronica made it outside, Archie had already joined in on the chaotic fight. Astonished, they watched as the red head punched one of the Serpents right on the nose before he pulled Jughead off another one on the ground, trying to restrain him. 

"Get the hell out of here!!!!" Betty heard Johnny Moran yell at the Serpent Jughead had been attacking on the ground. She watched the injured Serpent spit and cough up blood, his face bruised and cut where Jughead had hit him repeatedly. He leered up at Johnny smugly as if he had no intention of backing down and Betty saw Jughead move violently against Archie's restraining grip. 

"NOW!!" Johnny shouted as he hauled Levi to his feet and shoved him away aggressively. This final threat seemed to resonate with them as they slipped into the darkness and retreated from the scene. Archie waited until their truck had sped off and disappeared completely, before he released Jughead and stepped back to let him breath. 

Betty looked at him and could see that he was furious, but more importantly, that he was hurt. Not as badly as Levi, but he had a deep, fresh bruise around his eye and a swollen cut on his lip. With tears forming in her eyes, she started to move towards him when Sheriff Keller and several parents, including her mother, suddenly appeared. All of them bewildered and demanding to know exactly what happened. 

Betty sighed and wiped away her tears. It was going to be a long night.


	11. Comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some cute Bughead fluff in this chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Xxx

“This is absolutely ridiculous ... no, it's an outrage! This never would have happened if FP was still around ... Who the hell is running The Serpents anyway?" 

Betty gritted her teeth as her mothers angry and overbearing voice filled the hallways of Riverdale High once again. It was her second rant of the evening and even though it was quite touching to see or rather hear, her mother show so much concern for Jughead, Betty really didn't want to listen to her yell and scream at Sheriff Keller all night long.

To spare herself and her sanity, Betty had left the staff room, where everyone had gathered after the incident, a while ago to wait outside the nurses office for Jughead. It had been almost an hour now since the fight and her mind was still racing with images of what she had witnessed.

Betty hadn't seen Jughead that mad since the night he punched Chuck at his failed birthday party, but unlike then, he was in control of this fight and he was winning. She winced slightly at the fresh memory of seeing Jughead crouching over Levi on the ground, throwing punch after punch until Archie managed to restrain him. She also remembered the terrifying look in his eyes making her wonder what that Serpent had said or done to set him off like that. She was running through the various possibilities in her mind when she saw Kevin coming over to her. He offered her a comforting smile and sat down. 

"You okay?" he asked gently. Betty shrugged and smiled weakly in response. 

"I'm fine, I'm just ..." she trailed off at the thought and sighed again when Kevin placed his hand on her shoulder. 

"... Worried about Jughead." he finished for her. Betty nodded despondently. In truth, all she wanted right now was to see him, to make sure that he was okay and it frustrated her to tears that she was being denied this simple request. Sensing her fragile state, Kevin moved his hand over her back soothingly. 

"Don't worry Betty," he said, "I'm sure Jughead will be fine and you know I'm always here if need anything." 

Despite her current emotional condition, Betty couldn't help but smile at the sincere look on Kevin's face. She knew that he meant it, that if she ever needed anything he'd be there for her without question. That was one of the best things about being friends with Kevin Keller, letting people down just wasn't in his nature. She was about to thank him with a hug when a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

"Actually Kev, there is something you might be able to help me with." 

"Name it!" he said enthusiastically which only made Betty smile wider. 

She then proceeded to tell him everything she and Jughead had uncovered about Emma and the Ghoulies, softening some of the details so that she didn't scare him off. By the time she finished, Kevin's eyes were practically the size of plates and his jaw was hanging on the floor. If it hadn't been such a serious situation Betty would have laughed at his awestruck expression. 

"So there might be another gang operating in Riverdale?" he breathed, still trying to absorb the new information. 

"It certainly looks that way. Did Joaquin ever mention anything to you about another gang?" Betty asked sensitively, knowing that Kevin was still swallowing the hard pill of his break up. He shook his head. 

"We didn't talk about gangs when we were together," he admitted wearing a sad smile, "But I can definitely talk to my dad and find out what he knows." 

"Are you sure Kev? You really don't have to..." but she trailed off when Kevin held up his hand. He reached for her then and pulled her in for a gentle hug.

"If I can help you Betty, then let me help you." he insisted, pulling back to smile at her warmly. Betty sighed and nodded in agreement, ultimately happy that Kevin was more than willing to help. 

The door to the nurses office opened then and Betty pulled away from Kevin's arms the moment she heard it. 

"How is he?" she asked anxiously, but the only response she got from the elderly nurse was a soft smile before she left, obviously indicating that Betty should find out for herself. Kevin's light chuckle brought her attention back to him.

"I'll talk to you later Betty," he smiled, "Now go see your man." and then he was gone too, heading down the hall towards the staff room which had grown quiet once again. 

 

The first thing Betty saw when she entered the room was Jughead, somber and hatless, perched on the edge of the sickbed. He didn't seem to hear her enter and she used the opportunity to look him over. 

The nurse had fixed him up, but he still looked terrible from the whole ordeal. Plaster stitches had been placed over the cut beneath his bruised eye and there was a scrape along his hairline which she had missed before. The cut on his lip had been cleaned as well leaving the skin to swell and bruise only slightly. When she dropped her eyes to his hands, Betty couldn't stop the gasp that came out when she saw the deep bruising and multiple cuts on his knuckles. 

Jughead looked up the moment he heard her, his pained and conflicted eyes softening when he did. 

"Hey." he said softly. 

"Hi." she whispered back. Betty moved towards him and once she was close enough she lifted her hand up to his face, stroking her thumb over his cut gently. "Are you okay?" 

He nodded and then responded eagerly when she pulled him in for a hug that was necessary and long overdue. Betty smiled when she felt him nuzzle deeper into her chest and wrap his arms around her waist tightly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head in response and Betty sighed expecting as much. She knew that Jughead would tell her everything when he was ready. Right now he needed love and affection and she was more than happy it to give him. If she had to wait for details then she had to wait. At least he wasn't pushing her away and that was good enough for her. 

"What can I do?" Betty asked after a while. 

"Just stay” he mumbled into her shirt and she smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to scrape on his forehead. They stayed like that for a while, safely tucked in each other's arms, until Jughead pulled back to look at her, his eyes studying her face with deep concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Juggie," Betty chuckled, "I'm not the one who was in a fight remember?"

"I know," he sighed, "But you still witnessed it. I'm sorry if I scared you." 

"I wasn't scared of you Jughead, I was scared for you." she stated, reaching up to push the dark strands of hair off his forehead, "Besides, it looked like you had things under control." 

Jughead smiled up at her and Betty dipped her head slightly to kiss him, being extra careful not to hurt his lip. She bit back a giggle when she felt him sigh against her mouth, frustrated that he couldn't deepen the kiss. She helped him stand afterwards, letting him lean on her when he winced and wobbled unsteadily on his feet. The shock and the adrenaline from the fight was starting to wane, causing him to feel every impact he had taken without mercy. 

"I suppose I should go talk to Keller and clear up what happened." Jughead said as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his beanie. Betty snatched it from him playfully and he smiled as she placed it on his head, letting her adjust it until it looked close to perfect. 

"You don't have too, Johnny already told Keller everything."

Jughead shrugged on his sheepskin jacket and looked at Betty, his one eyebrow raised in question. 

"Did Johnny tell you why we were outside in the first place?" Betty shook her head, suddenly curious, "He wants to help us with Emma's case." 

"Help us?" Betty repeated.

"Yeah, according to him Emma did some research on the Ghoulies which he didn’t know anything about until she had to leave.” 

Betty raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Does he know where it is?"

"He does and he was about to tell me when those Serpents showed up, so we should probably go find him before he leaves." 

Jughead gingerly took Betty's hand with his own, suddenly very aware of his badly injured knuckles, and led her out the room.

They found Johnny leaning against the cement railing along the front steps outside the school, smoking a cigarette. He was nursing some bruises of his own, but he didn't fail to smile when he saw them. 

"How you feeling there Rocky?" Johnny asked as he snuffed his cigarette out on the concrete and flicked the bud into the darkness. 

"A little sore, but I'll survive. And you?" 

Johnny shrugged indifferently. "It's not the first scrap I've been in and it certainly won't be the last." he shifted his eyes to Betty, "You okay?" 

"I'm good!" she replied, leaning into Jughead a little more. 

"Good!" Johnny said happily. 

A brief silence followed and just when Jughead was about to mention Emma's research, Johnny beat him to the punch.

“So, I’m guessing you want to finish our little conversation earlier?” Johnny asked. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the railing again.

“Well, you did offer to help us.” Jughead reminded him and Johnny nodded with a sigh, almost as if he was disappointed that Jughead remembered.

“Alright,” he said eventually as he descended the steps towards the parking lot, “I’ll let you know tomorrow night once I have it.” 

~~~

Jughead spent the following day recuperating in bed. After his clash with the Serpents the night before, his body was incredibly stiff and it ached all over, especially in the places where Levi’s fists had managed to clip him.  
Thank god it was a Saturday!

He slept most of the morning away, but when Betty came by at around noon she managed to get him downstairs where they snuggled up on the couch and watched movies together. By the time evening arrived, Jughead felt much better or strong enough at least to go and meet Johnny, who had sent a text asking them to come to Pops at 9. 

“Are you sure you want to go Jug?” Betty asked for the millionth time.  
She watched as he moved slowly, but confidently around Archie’s room trying to find his shoes, “I can go alone if you want to rest some more.” 

Jughead must’ve spotted his shoes because he knelt down to grab something, wincing a little as he did. When he stood up again, shoes in hand, he looked at Betty and smiled.

“I’m fine Betty and If you think I’m going to let you walk around Riverdale by yourself at night, think again.” 

He sat down on the edge of Archie’s bed and tried to put his boots on with his sore and shaky fingers and when he started to struggle, Betty came over to help him and he sighed, letting her. 

“Are you sure? You can’t even put your own shoes on,” she joked lightly. 

“I would have managed eventually,” Jughead insisted defensively. 

“Hmmm I bet.” Betty smirked up at him and Jughead chuckled knowing that she was right. They probably would have been old and grey if she hadn’t come to his aid. He held her gaze for a moment, smiling down at her pleadingly and she sighed, thinking that he was far too convincing for his own good. 

“You’re ridiculous,” she said, her mouth twitching up at the corners. She finished putting on his shoes and stood up. “Come on, we better not be late then.” 

 

For a Saturday night, Pops was usually quiet when Betty and Jughead arrived a short while later, however, the lack of people and the soft hum of the music playing in the background essentially made the retro diner the perfect place to quietly discuss something. 

There was an air of anticipation in the room and even though both Betty and Jughead knew that what ever they were about to learn could place them in more danger than they had ever been in before, they couldn’t stop the spark of exhilaration that ignited between them

They spotted Johnny sitting in one of the booths in the very back, nursing a cup of lukewarm coffee. Signaled by the faint twinkle of the bell above the door, he caught sight of them as they approached.

“You’re late.” he said, his eyes both teasing and playful. 

“Only by a couple of minutes” Jughead retorted in the same manner and Johnny smirked in response. 

Once they had taken a seat, an old man with friendly eyes and a wide smile came over to their booth. His smile faded, however, when he took in Jughead’s current appearance.

“Get into a little trouble there Jug?” Pop Tate asked, his eyes swimming with concern. 

“I had a slight ... misunderstanding with someone, but it’s nothing to worry about.” Jughead replied a little too casually.

Pop frowned at the cavalier response, but brushed it off quickly and offered to take their orders. Betty and Jughead both declined anything, and Pop wished them both a good evening before heading off to tend to his other customers. 

Once the diners owner was out of earshot, Johnny finished the last of his coffee and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. He looked at Betty and Jughead intently for a moment before he reached into his jacket pocket and removed a USB, placing it on the table in front of them. Jughead reached for it immediately, but Johnny covered it with his hand before he could.

“Before we go any further, I want to give you both the opportunity to walk away. Whatever Emma found, whatever she uncovered could be the reason why she was killed. So, if you have any doubts, now’s the time to act on them.” 

While Johnny’s eyes drifted between them patiently, Betty took Jughead’s hand under the table and squeezed it gently. He returned the pressure and she looked up to see him watching her, his eyes silently questioning if she was comfortable enough to continue. Betty nodded silently and Jughead turned his attention back to Johnny wearing a small smile. 

“We know that doing this will be dangerous, but not doing anything could be even worse, so we’re in.” he said confidently. 

Johnny nodded slowly. “Alrighty then,” he said holding up the USB, “Lets find out what’s on here shall we.”


	12. Dangerous Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to get a little intense in this chapter. Prepare for some cute Bughead and interactions between Jughead and Veronica. Also this chapter is pretty long, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!!!! Xxx

Jughead and Betty joined Johnny on his side of the booth as he plugged the USB into his laptop. They waited anxiously for the files to load and Betty was so wound up with anticipation that she ended up squeezing Jughead’s hand a little too tightly causing him to wince. She released her grip immediately and sheepishly apologized. 

Jughead chuckled and took her hand again. “Just breathe Betty,” he whispered as he ran his thumb over her knuckles gently. 

The files finished loading and it seemed as though Emma Monroe’s obsession with the Southside had only grown with the discovery of the Ghoulies. There were articles, interviews, reconnaissance notes, audio files, video files, theories and suggestions. It was a little overwhelming, especially for Johnny, who was trying to understand the actions of the girl he had fallen in love with. 

“There’s so much information,” Jughead mumbled, “Its going to take some time to go through it all.” 

Johnny nodded. “I’m copying the files to my laptop, that way we won’t have to meet up every time you want to look at it.” 

He went back to skimming over the information and eventually selected one of the video files Emma had recorded. 

As soon as the video started, Emma’s hauntingly beautiful face appeared on the screen and Johnny’s jaw clenched at the sight, his fists slowly tightening when she started to speak. 

“It’s been a week since I started following them and I still have very little proof that the Serpents are somehow involved in all of this. I don’t care what Dodger said, there’s no way The Ghoulies are operating on the Southside without some kind of inside help,” Emma paused then and looked around cautiously, her brown eyes alert and serious, “I know Johnny said it’s too dangerous to keep looking into this, but if there’s something happening on the Southside that’s threatening the whole town then I have to find out what it is. Hopefully, I’ll get something soon.” 

The video cut abruptly and then started again. Emma was sitting in her car now, pointing the camera at a man standing some distance away from her on the side of the road. She zoomed the lens as much as she could and even though the quality wasn’t very good, Betty, Jughead and Johnny could all clearly make out the bright green snake etched into the mans leather jacket. A few minutes passed before another man arrived on a bike which he parked along the trees near the road. 

Jughead’s eyebrows knitted together as he watched the man shake hands with the unknown Serpent. They seemed friendly. Almost as if they had known each other for years. The three of them watched the inaudible conversation play out until the Serpent handed the man a book of some kind. Betty saw Johnny’s dismal eyes widen slightly, but her attention was brought back to the screen before she could act on it. That’s when they saw it. The symbol stitched into the mysterious mans jacket and it wasn’t a snake. Instead it was a creature, dark green in colour and hunched over with an evil, devil like face. 

“Is that man ...” Betty breathed.

“... a Ghoulie?” Jughead finished for her. They looked at each other, their expressions mixed as they tried to comprehend what they had just seen. 

“And a Serpent.” Johnny added bitterly. The video ended and he sighed, yanking the USB out of this laptop harshly, his jaw now clenched with anger. His actions and the furious look in his eyes suddenly reminded Betty of what she had seen while they had watched the video. 

“That book,” she began slowly, “What was that about?” 

To Betty’s surprise the question made Johnny laugh and shake his head in disbelief. She looked at Jughead with concern and he squeezed her hand comfortingly. 

“Well, if I’m not mistaken, that book is ‘The Book’” Johnny stated simply. His eyes were visibly angry and betrayed when he looked at Betty and Jughead, but it wasn’t directed at them. “Anything Serpent related is in there. Known associates, ‘business’ numbers, gang secrets and personal information ... the only people who are allowed to see it, let alone handle it, are people like FP and Dom. I only know about it because FP trusted me enough to have it out when I visited him once.”

Jughead frowned. He’d heard about The Book before on the very few occasions when his father had discussed Serpent business in front of him. He didn’t know that much about it, but if what Johnny said was true then a Serpent giving that book to a Ghoulie certainly didn’t look good. The three of them sat in silence, thinking for a moment, when Betty’s phone suddenly rang making everyone jump. 

“It’s my mom,” Betty mumbled to Jughead. She reluctantly answered the call and left the booth to stand somewhere more private. Jughead watched her, briefly wondering what Alice Cooper could possibly want now, before turning his attention back to Johnny.

“Do you really think the Serpents are working with Ghoulies?” he asked, trying to get some sort of clarity on the situation. 

Johnny sighed and closed his laptop with a little more self control. “I honestly don’t know. We have an agreement with the Ghoulies, not a truce or an alliance. Besides, that book isn’t something we’d share with just anyone, not even our closest friends. Whoever that Serpent is, he isn’t one of us at heart.” 

“You didn’t recognize him?” Jughead asked incredulously. He knew that the camera quality wasn’t terribly good, but it was still good enough to identify facial features. Johnny shook his head, his lips pressed in a hard, disappointed line. 

“Unfortunately not. It’s a pretty big gang Jughead. A lots changed over the last two years and I haven’t really been around to see it,” he admitted. 

“Well someone must know,” Jughead insisted, “Maybe you could ask around, talk to Dodger or Dom?” Johnny nodded at the suggestion. 

“I’d prefer to talk to Dom. Dodger annoys the crap out of me.” he said and Jughead laughed at the remark. After his brief encounter with Dodger he’d avoid her if he could as well.

He was still chuckling when Betty returned looking more than slightly annoyed and his demeanor changed the second he saw her.

“Everything alright?” he asked her quietly. 

“I’ll tell you later.” Betty sighed as she dropped into the seat next to him and took his hand again. By this point Johnny had finished packing away his things and when he stood up to leave so did Betty and Jughead. 

“Alright,” he sighed, “I’ll talk to Dom and see what he knows. You guys can look over the rest of that information and see what you can dig up.” 

Johnny handed Jughead the USB as the three of them headed towards the parking lot outside. 

“I’ll let you guys know when I find something.” Johnny promised as he mounted his bike and revved it to life.

“Likewise.” Jughead replied.

Johnny smiled at them faintly and then he was gone, his bike speeding down the darkened road leading towards the Southside. 

~~~

Despite everything they had seen and discussed the night before, the first thing Betty wanted to talk about when she saw Jughead the following morning had nothing to do with Emma Monroe. 

While walking home from Pops, he had brought up the unexpected phone call from her mother, curious to know what she wanted. In truth, Betty had no idea, she only knew that her mother asked to speak to her as soon as she got home. Jughead had jokingly suggested that she stay with him at Archie’s instead and when she saw not one, but both of her parents waiting for her when she walked through the door, she wished she had taken him up on his offer.

“A family trip, Jughead!” Betty said, not bothering to hide her obvious distaste towards the idea.

They were sitting on the couch in the students lounge and apart from Ethel Muggs, who was quietly reading in a corner, they were alone. Jughead smirked at her. 

“Okay and the problem is?”

“The problem is; that I know my parents Jug, this whole ‘weekend away to bond as a family’ thing won’t change anything.” Betty said firmly.

Jughead’s smirk stretched into a smile as he admired her confidence and conviction, but when he studied her a little further he noticed the sad glint in her eyes. It was clear that things in the Cooper Household hadn’t been the same since Jason Blossoms murder, but Jughead refused to believe that they were beyond repair. He knew Betty. He knew that if there was a chance, any chance, that she could fix her family she would take it.

“Are you sure Betts?” he asked, “I mean, if I had a chance to mend things with my family I’d take it in a heartbeat.” 

Betty’s momentary confidence faltered and her teeth started to gnaw on her lip indecisively. He waited, patiently holding her gaze until she finally sighed. 

“I don’t ...” she started to mutter and when he smirked at her ever so slightly, she shoved him. 

“Stop!” she scolded playfully. 

“Stop what?” he teased. 

“Smirking at me.” she grumbled and Jughead laughed warmly, taking her hand with his. 

“You don’t what?” he asked softly, wanting her to continue. 

“I ... I just don’t want to be ... disappointed.” Betty sighed, feeling very vulnerable. She shouldn’t feel like this around Jughead, but her family was like a constant headache that just wouldn’t go away. There were problems way before Jason’s murder, but ever since then things had only intensified. She could feel her anxiety creeping up on her at the thought and breathed a sigh of relief when Jughead started playing with her fingers, effectively preventing her from doing anything. 

“I know,” he said after a while, “But maybe you should give them a chance. I understand you’re skeptical, but at least they’re trying.” he fell silent then, his fingers holding hers. “Trust me Betty, you don’t want to lose your family.” he finished quietly. 

Betty looked at him carefully. She knew that he was speaking from experience. His relationship with his sister, Jellybean Jones, was the only constant family connection he had left and she knew that coming from a broken family had caused most of the pain and suffering in his life. If there was one person in this world who understood the importance of family, it was Jughead Jones. 

Without warning, Betty moved closer to him and tucked herself into his side. 

“I hate it when you’re right.” she mumbled and Jughead chuckled against her hair as he wrapped his arms her. 

Betty left with her family on Friday morning and as soon as she was gone, Jughead immediately regretted convincing her to go. He missed her terribly and there was nothing he could do to stop himself from thinking about it. School went on for far to long and even the burger he ate at lunch somehow wasn’t satisfying without her nearby. 

When the day finally ended, Jughead retreated to the Blue and Gold’s office where he tried and failed to distract himself by going over Emma’s research again. After about 30 minutes of getting absolutely no where, he sighed and glanced at Bettys desk causing his heart ache with longing. 

“That’s what you get for being a good boyfriend.” he muttered to himself. He sighed again and was about to close his laptop when the office door suddenly opened. 

Jughead’s eyes shot up, hoping to see Betty and he was a only mildly disappointed when he saw Veronica standing beneath the doorframe instead. He frowned slightly and dropped his eyes to the computer screen. 

“Please, don’t jump for joy.” Veronica said sarcastically. She stepped into the room and placed her handbag on one of the Blue and Golds many tables. When she didn’t say anything else, he looked up and saw that she was staring at him, waiting for an apology.

“I’m sorry Veronica,” he sighed, “I just-“ 

“-Miss your better half?” Veronica guessed, “Trust me I know how you feel.” 

“What are you talking about? Archie hasn’t gone anywhere.” 

Jughead frowned as he watched Veronica flop down into a chair with about as much grace as a rock. 

“Its almost Summer.” she said, her tone indicating that the problem should be obvious. Jughead thought for a moment. 

“Football?” 

“Bingo!” Veronica said a little exasperated, “You try getting his attention when it’s training this and training that.” 

Jughead smiled at her. “I wouldn’t worry,” he said dismissively, “The coach likes to get a few sessions in before Summer vacation. All of Archies attention will be focused on you again soon enough.” 

Veronica nodded, but she still seemed to be agitated. Jughead cleared his throat and pretended to watch one of Emma’s recordings, hoping that the raven haired girl would sit still and enjoy the idle silence. He should have known better. 

Jughead’s thoughts had inevitably strayed to Betty again when he felt Veronica leaning over him trying to watch the video playing on his laptop. He angled himself away from her, feeling a little violated by her invasion of his personal space. 

“You know Ronnie, I am one of those people who actually likes my personal space“ he commented, but Veronica wasn’t listening to him. In fact she moved in front of him to get a better look at the screen. 

“What is this?” she asked, furrowing her own brow. 

“It’s just a video Veronica,” he said, moving around her to get a better view himself. 

In this particular recording, Emma was parked outside the Whyte Worm filming two girls standing outside the famous Serpent bar. Jughead recognized one of them as Toni Topaz, but he’d never seen the other girl. When Toni glanced in Emma’s direction, the camera lens dropped to seat beside her and the video ended a few seconds later:

“Wait, did you see that?” Veronica asked. Jughead, who hadn’t seen anything of interest, ignored the question and reached forward to close his laptop. Veronica stopped him and he sighed. 

“See what?” he asked, looking up at her unenthusiastically. He liked Veronica, but he really wasn’t in the mood for her antics today. She noticed this and glared at him. 

“Just humour me and go back a few seconds.” she pleaded and Jughead begrudgingly did as she asked until the image on the screen showed the car seat again. 

“There!” Veronica said, pointing her finger at his laptop, “See it?” 

With a half hearted effort, Jughead looked at the image of Emma’s car seat covered in several articles of paper, much like what he’d seen the night she died. 

“No,” he said, rubbing his tired eyes as he looked away. Veronica exhaled frustratedly and gripped his chin, forcing him look where she wanted him to. 

“There.” she said, pointing now to a specific area of the screen. Jughead pulled away from her and willingly focused his eyes there until he saw it. 

“25 Mount Road, WS” Jughead read the address out loud and moved a bit closer to make sure he’d read it right. He had. His eyes widened at discovery and within seconds he had it jotted down in his notebook.

“I know I haven’t lived here for very long, but does Riverdale even have a ‘Mount Road’?” Veronica watched Jughead curiously as he packed his laptop and notebook in his messenger bag. 

“It does ... on the Westside.” Jughead explained as he slipped the strap over his head. 

“Wait, Riverdale has a Westside?” Veronica was extremely confused and the sight made Jughead chuckle. 

“Well, not officially but yes it does.” Jughead handed Veronica her purse, switched off the lights and locked the office door once they were both out. 

“So, wait, wait ... does that mean you have a new lead?” Veronica asked as she followed Jughead down the hallway, her high heels clicking on the tiles. He nodded. 

“It does.” he said, genuinely impressed with Veronica powers of perception. 

“Great!” Veronica squealed, “So when are we going to check it out?” Jughead spun around, stopping her in her tracks.

“I’m sorry ‘we’?” Veronica noticed that he looked confused, almost like he hadn’t heard her correctly. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. 

“Yes, ‘we’ because without me you wouldn’t have found that address in he first place!” 

Jughead sighed. “Look no offense Ronnie, but I’m pretty sure the Westside isn’t exactly your ... scene.” he took at step back when Veronica’s glare turned into a full blown scowl. 

“Well offense taken, besides I can take care of myself, unless of course, you want to run around Riverdale by yourself with a killer on the loose?” 

Jughead frowned, realizing she had a point. As much as he wanted to investigate this new lead, going to the Westside alone suddenly didn’t sound like a great idea. Of course he could always wait for Betty to get back on Sunday, but honestly, that didn’t sound appealing either. 

Jughead looked at Veronica hesitantly. Was this a good idea? He knew that taking anyone to the Westside could be incredibly dangerous, but he somehow knew that Veronica wouldn’t care. She’d probably follow him if he turned her down anyway.

“Alright fine,” he sighed, “I’ll meet you outside Pops tomorrow morning.” 

Veronica smiled triumphantly and Jughead rolled his eyes as they left the school together. 

~~~

Veronica was already waiting outside Pops when Jughead arrived the following morning. It was shaping up to be a pretty miserable day, with low hanging clouds threatening to rain without a moments notice.

As Jughead approached the Diner he had to admit, seeing Veronica wearing something that was completely un-Veronica was pretty amusing. She was dressed in jeans, a pair of boots and a jersey. Jughead was pretty certain that he’d only ever seen her in fashionable dresses, skirts and pearls. 

Once he was close enough, she held up a takeaway coffee for him which he accepted with a smile. 

“So how far is this place, because I can always get Smithers to drive us.” 

“No, it’s better if we walk.” he said. Jughead sipped his coffee and was surprised when it tasted exactly the way he liked it; black with two sugars. Veronica smiled. 

“Betty told me.” she informed him and he smiled in return. Of course she did. 

To get to the Westside, Jughead explained that they had to walk along an old dirt road through the woods and that it would take about 25 minutes to get there. Initially Veronica was incredibly enthusiastic, but as they neared their destination her confidence seemed to dip a little. 

“So,” she began, casually breaking the silence between them, “Why isn’t the Westside part of Riverdale?” 

Jughead glanced at her and despite the tone of her voice he saw that there was nothing casual about her demeanor. He smiled crookedly and figured she was just tying to distract herself. 

“I think it was about 35 years ago, they tried to expand the town and there was a horrible accident. A whole lot of people died and they ended up abandoning the project.” Jughead looked at Veronica and saw her visibly swallow. He smiled, “Anyway, now it’s a gathering place for shady business dealers and homeless junkies.” 

Veronica nodded slowly, trying to keep up her brave facade. “And what are our chances of bumping into said shady person or homeless junkie?” 

“Slim, it would be worse if we were going at night.” Jughead told her reassuringly and Veronica breathed a sigh of relief. 

There was no sign indicating that they had arrived in the Westside, only a sudden transition from thick forest to a massive open space filled with a series of unfinished roads and houses. Today, The Westside was nothing more than an eerie construction site that had been reclaimed by nature through abandonment and neglect. It reminded Veronica of the Northside, only more spaced out and with bigger houses. 

They walked a little longer, until the main road suddenly branched off. Jughead stopped and while she waited for him, Veronica skimmed over the dilapidated area until her eyes fell on a building that looked like it had burnt down. Jughead noticed it as well and looked at her. 

“That accident, it was a fire, wasn’t it?” she asked quietly, looking at him as well. Jughead simply nodded and turned his attention back to the curb of the road where the words ‘Mount Road’ had been crudely spray painted. 

“This way.” he said, bringing Veronica’s attention back to him. 

Unlike most of the undeveloped area, the houses along Mount Road were actually completed, but had sadly fallen into disrepair. Jughead guessed that at one point they were used to advertise the area to any potential buyers. He scanned the numbers on each of the houses until he found the right one, stopping in front of it. 

“Not exactly what I was expecting.” Veronica said as she took in the sight as well. 

Number 25 Mount Road was a fairly large, double story dwelling that would have been a lot more impressive if it hadn’t been abandoned all those years ago. Jughead looked up at the house, wondering what Emma could have found here when he saw Veronica step forward. He immediately grabbed her arm and stopped her mid-step. 

“Unless you really want to be startled by a homeless junkie, it’s probably better if I go first.” he said. Veronica pulled away from Jughead’s hand and folded her arms. 

“I lived in New York City Jughead, I’ve dealt with homeless junkies before. Besides, I can -“

“- Take care of myself, I know.” Jughead sighed, running his hand over his face. He looked at Veronica solemnly, “Please don’t argue with me on this one Ronnie.” 

Veronica narrowed her eyes defiantly, and when Jughead didn’t back down she eventually sighed in agreement. 

They approached the house and immediately encountered their first obstacle. A thick chain with a lock had been wrapped around the handles of the double doors denying them access. 

“So now what?” Veronica huffed. Jughead didn’t respond. Instead he knelt down in front of the lock and pulled out a small, but long silver object. Veronica watched as he fiddled around and moved it inside the lock until it clicked open. Veronica frowned at how familiar the situation felt. 

“Don’t tell me, you read Nancy Drew’s Detective Handbook as well?” 

Jughead untangled the chains and stood up smirking at her. “Nope, I’m just from the Southside.” 

Being as quiet as possible, they opened the doors and entered the house. As requested, Veronica stayed behind Jughead as they moved through the broken structure. The air was damp, but was also tainted with the acrid smell of chemicals making Veronica cringe and exhale with disgust. 

“Do you smell that?” Jughead whispered. 

“Do I smell it!” Veronica whispered back incredulously, squeezing her nose shut with her fingers, “What is that?” 

“Nothing good.” Jughead muttered. He scanned the area attentively, his body on high alert. 

The horrible smell only intensified as they moved towards the kitchen and it wasn’t long until they discovered its source. A series of makeshift stoves filled most of the counters and spaces in the large room, all of them cooking a mysterious substance. When Jughead noticed that the widows had been blacked out and the back door had been sealed shut as well, his eyes widened when he realized what they were looking at. 

“It’s a cookhouse.” he breathed, clearly shocked. 

“A cookhouse, like for drugs?” Veronica asked, moving closer to him for protection. He nodded and pulled out his phone to take some pictures before covering his nose with the sleeve of his jacket, unable to withstand the smell anymore. 

“We should call the cops Jughead.” he heard Veronica say. He looked down at her and saw the worried look in her eyes grow steadily with every second that passed. Keeping as calm as possible, Jughead was about to do as she asked, when he heard a sound that made all the blood in his veins freeze. 

Footsteps and an unfamiliar, muffled voice drifted towards them from the front of the house. Veronica heard it as well and immediately latched onto Jughead’s arm. 

“Oh my god is that-“ she trailed off when Jughead gave her a look that told her to be quiet. He quickly ushered her into the kitchen where they took cover behind the counter in the middle of the room. 

They waited and when the voice and footsteps got closer, Jughead held a finger to his lips indicating for her to stay silent. 

“Look, I’m not sure .... The locks been picked ... it could be a hobo. Don’t worry I’ll look around and take care of the problem.” 

When the man’s voice started to fade away, Jughead decided to risk it and peeked over the counter just in time to see him disappear from sight. He sank back to floor, silently cursing himself for coming here, for involving Veronica, because now they were trapped in a drug filled house with a dangerous stranger looking for them. 

He turned his attention back to the raven haired girl and clenched his jaw with regret when he saw how terrified she was. He needed to get her out of here now. 

“Stay here.” he said to her, but when he moved to stand up, Veronica gripped his arm and pulled him down. 

“Don’t be stupid Jughead,” she whispered frantically, “You can’t go out there!” 

“I’ll be right back,” he said reassuringly, “I’m just going to have a look.” 

Veronica reluctantly let him stand up this time and watched nervously as he slowly made his way towards the front of the house. Jughead stopped and hid when he saw the man again, his eyes immediately spotting the Ghoulie patch on the back of his leather jacket. 

“So this is one of their cookhouse’s” he mumbled to himself and the pieces finally made sense. Could this be what Emma discovered, what she was killed for? His throat went dry at the thought and he decided that they really needed to get out of here.

Jughead waited until the rival gang member had gone upstairs before he hurried back to Veronica. His plan was simple. He didn’t want to expose Veronica to anymore danger than he already had. She’d call Keller and then stay here while he distracted the Ghoulie, giving her a chance to slip away without being noticed. 

Of course Veronica immediately started to protest. 

“It’s far to dangerous -“ 

“- and staying here is even more so!” he said, cutting her off, “So, call the damn cops and as soon as I have his attention, get to the main road and don’t stop running.” 

“Why can’t we just wait for Keller to arrive?” 

“Because we’ll probably be dead before he gets here!” Jughead shot back, a little too harshly. He sighed heavily and gave her an apologetic look, quietly promising her that it would be alright. He waited until Veronica told him that the police were on their way before setting his plan in motion. 

Jughead moved quickly towards the front of the house, purposely standing on glass and broken titles to make as much noise as possible. When he reached the front door, the Ghoulie appeared at the top of the stairs and saw him. 

“Hey! What the hell are you doing here!” he yelled and as if signaled by a whistle, Jughead broke out into a full blown sprint with the gangbanger following close behind. 

“Stop!” The Ghoulie roared as Jughead ran towards the center of the Westside, leading his pursuer away from the main road, away from Veronica. It had started raining, making the ground muddy and difficult to run on without slipping at some point. 

Nevertheless, Jughead ran as fast as he could, weaving between buildings to try and lose his pursuer. After a while he could feel his heart thumping in his ears, his body shaking with fatigue as his stamina started to drain. The footsteps behind him grew louder and as Jughead turned the next corner, he felt someone grab him and the last thing he saw before the world went black was the dark, rainy sky.


	13. Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I had to go to a wedding and with everything that happened this week regarding Bughead my writing mojo was completely off. Anyways, here’s the new chapter. Enjoy xx

Soaked and terrified, Veronica only made it half way down the dirt road before she finally spotted a brigade of police cars heading towards her. She stopped running and watched as the squad cars raced past until she saw Sheriff Keller’s one brake heavily in front of her. 

"Get in!" he yelled gruffly and Veronica immediately obeyed the order. Even in the comfort and safety of a police car, she couldn't help but cry and shake with fear and exhaustion, unable to get the image of Jughead being perused by a ruthless gang member out of her mind. Keller glanced at her briefly as they raced to catch up with the other units.  

"Where's Jughead?" he asked. Veronica released a shaky breath and wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her jersey. 

"We were cornered and he .... he distracted the man so I could escape." she sobbed, wiping again at the fresh tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Keller cursed under his breath and reached for his radio, ordering his units to give chase and spread out to find Jughead. He pushed his foot on the accelerator a little more, desperate now to reach the Westside. 

When they reached the forgotten part of Riverdale, a police coded call came over the radio stating that they had found Jughead on the Southern end of the Westside and were pursing the suspect on foot. Veronica looked confused when she saw the concern on Keller's face as he acknowledged the call and steered the car towards Jughead's location. As soon as they arrived, Veronica jumped out the car and ran towards the scene.

"Veronica!" Keller yelled, but the raven haired girl ignored him as she sprinted towards the small circle of cops standing in the distance.  
She slowed down when she neared them and stopped altogether when her eyes spotted Jughead's beloved crown beanie lying in the mud. 

Without hesitation Veronica bent down to pick it up, but when she stood up again she noticed that some of the cops were now kneeling down on the ground as if they were tending to someone. She felt her heart drop as she looked at the mud caked beanie, her mind racing to the worst scenario she could think of. 

"No ...." she breathed, clutching the grey hat tightly in her hands. 

~~~

Jughead's subconscious stirred when he heard faint, but indistinguishable voices somewhere in the distance. With every second that passed, he heard them grow louder, but when he tried to focus on them, the throbbing pain in his head kept his senses paralyzed. He felt several pairs of hands grip his shivering body as the cold numbed him and seeped deep into his bones.

"Jughead!" he heard a different, but more prominent voice say desperately. He heard a commotion break out then as several people started yelling and suddenly a pair of hands grabbed his face and started to shake him furiously. 

"Dammit! You can't do this Jughead!" The same voice yelled with a mixture of anger and sadness now, "Think of Archie ... of Betty!"

There was another uproar then and he felt someone wrench the hands on his face away. 

Jughead felt his heart clench and twist with anguish at the mention of her name. Betty. He couldn't do this to her. He had to try. He had to wake up, but no matter what he did the darkness continued to smother and suffocate him. He pictured her then. Her soft green eyes watching him, her lips pulled into a beautiful, heartbreaking smile. The image cracked the darkness that surrounded him allowing a sliver of light to break in, easing his mind only slightly as he slipped into unconsciousness once again. 

 

When Jughead stirred again he was greeted by bright lights and a faint, but annoying beeping noise in the background. He opened his eyes properly and let them adjust until the plain and uninspired details of his hospital room come into focus. A hospital. What was he doing here? 

Confused and feeling a little uncomfortable, Jughead tried to push himself up into a sitting position and immediately regretted it. Not only did his head throb painfully, but he felt a sharp, searing pain erupt through his body making him cry out and bend over in agony. The sudden noise echoed throughout the room startling the red headed boy who was sleeping in the corner. 

"Whoa, Jug! Don't move!" Archie said, rushing over to push his friend back down onto the bed. 

Jughead gasped and gripped his ribs in anguish. Prompted by Archie's hands, he reluctantly went back to his previous position again and Archie quickly pulled his chair up to his friends bedside, relived that he was finally awake.

"What the hell happened?" Jughead groaned, his ribs still aching.

"You don't remember?" Archie questioned. Noting the concern on his friends face, Jughead quickly racked his brain for the last thing he could actually remember. 

He remembered running, being out of breath, his body aching and trembling with exhaustion, his heart thumping in his ears! but what was he running from? His face scrunched up as he pushed further and thought harder and then it suddenly hit him. The Westside. The cookhouse, The Ghoulie, Veronica, running and pain. Just pain.

It was vague at first, but the more he thought about it the more prominent the memories became. He felt his already throbbing headache worsen and he closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead soothingly. 

"How's Ronnie?" he asked eventually. Archie's head shot up at the question and he exhaled heavily with a smile. 

As if on cue, the door to the room opened and Veronica came in looking decidedly better then she had the last time Jughead had seen her. 

"Oh thank God!" she breathed, resting her hand over her heart when she saw that Jughead was finally awake. "How are you feeling?" 

Jughead rolled his eyes at Veronica's overreaction. "I'm fine Veronica." 

"Well, first of all you're not fine hence why you're in hospital. Second of all ..." Veronica smiled down at him and then without warning smacked his shoulder, "Don't ever do that again!" 

Jughead rubbed the now tender spot and smiled back. 

"You're welcome." he said, chuckling at Veronica's 'thanks'. Her smile grew as she sat down on Archie's lap, cuddling into him as soon as his arms wrapped around her. 

"How long was I out for anyway?" Jughead wondered, carefully adjusting himself into a more upright position this time. 

"Almost a day," Archie answered, "That Ghoulie really did a number on you." 

Jughead raised his eyebrows and nodded as the pain filled memories slowly eased into his mind. 

"Did I miss anything?". he asked. Veronica sighed as she sank into Archie a little bit more.

"Not much. Keller was pretty ... mad. He yelled at me for a good hour and demanded to know every detail which, of course, was pointless because I didn't know much of anything." she sighed, clearly annoyed, "You better prepare yourself, because he'll definitely go at you now that you're awake." 

Jughead groaned at the thought. A conversation with Sheriff Keller was honestly the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. 

"Yeah, I'm kind of hoping to avoid that conversation." he mumbled quietly. Archie chuckled slightly and tightened his arms around Veronica. 

"Well, he is a little busy with someone else at the moment so you might just get your wish." he explained, his lips pulling into a slight smirk. 

Jughead raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean? Did they —" 

"— Catch the guy?" Veronica finished, "Yeah they did and don't worry, we were just as shocked as you are." she added with a smirk of her own. 

Jughead's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Keller had a Ghoulie locked up in a cell and was probably interrogating him right this very second. It was an exciting and intriguing situation, one that could easily lead to the biggest break in Emma Monroe's case, if Keller played his cards right. Jughead groaned internally, thinking that if he wasn't in so much pain right now, he'd be half way to the station to find out himself. 

"So Sheriff Clueless actually did something right for once." Jughead said, unable to stop the chuckle that escaped from his lips as he shook his head in disbelief. 

"Yup, but I guess we can't call him Sheriff Clueless anymore now that he's saved both your asses!" Archie commented, smirking playfully when he saw both Veronica and Jughead sigh and rolled their eyes at him. 

"Yeah, Yeah." they both said almost at the same time, knowing of course that the red head was right. Keller may be clueless most of the time, but he had been their knight in shining armor that day, redeeming himself just a little in their eyes.  

They all laughed happily at the exchange, but their warm moment was cut short when they heard someone suddenly clear their throat. Having been wrapped up in their own little bubble and conversation none of them had noticed the arrival of a rather furious looking Betty Cooper. 

All three of them stilled when they saw her standing beneath the doorframe, her green eyes narrowing as she observed the scene before her. 

"Shit." Jughead muttered. His stomach clenched when he remembered what Archie had said, that he'd been out for almost a day.

What happened next was a bit of a shock. Of course, Veronica stood up and immediately tried to explain things, but Betty simply held up her hand and said; 'Not now!' leaving the raven haired girl a little stunned. Sensing the fresh tension in the room, a rather terrified looking Archie stood up as well and after throwing an apologetic look at Jughead, he quickly tugged his guilt ridden girlfriend out the room, closing the door behind them. 

Left alone with Betty in a room that offered no obvious escape routes, Jughead suddenly felt more than a little nervous especially when her angry eyes focused solely on him. She stood and watched him, her patience wearing thin with every silent second that passed between them. Jughead swallowed with discomfort, wishing that he could leave as well, more out of shame than anything else. 

"So," he began, a little sheepishly, "How was your weekend?" 

How was your weekend? Ugh!  
He gritted his teeth and regretted the words the minute he said them. 

"My weekend?" she repeated, her voice slowly building with ferocity and Jughead squirmed slightly when she stepped towards him, "My weekend was pretty ... uneventful compared to others apparently ..."

"Betty, I —" but she held up her hand and silenced him with a glare. 

"Take yours for example," she continued, her voice now dripping with pure sarcasm, "I heard you and Veronica took a nice little stroll down to Westside ... without telling anyone!"

She was yelling by the time she finished and Jughead winced when he realized just how furious she actually was. 

"I honestly didn't think it would be that dangerous." Jughead admitted quietly. He was painfully aware of Betty's harden stare, but refused to look at her. His stubbornness winning him over. 

"You didn't think it would be dangerous?" Betty repeated incredulously, "It's the Westside Jughead! How many times were we told, no warned! not to go there especially alone!" 

"I didn't go alone!" Jughead shot back with more confidence than before which only made Betty simmer with more unspoken anger. 

"Oh yes, I completely forgot that Veronica is actually Jackie Chan in a wig!" she yelled, "You could've died Jughead! You and Veronica both! And the worst part is ... " she trailed off, her voice cracking with sadness, "The worst part is that I wouldn't have known! We spoke on Friday night and on Saturday morning and you didn't say a god damn thing!" 

Her words stung horribly and despite the anguish he felt hearing them, Jughead stayed silent and looked at his hands. He felt so guilty, but for some reason he couldn't voice it, he just couldn't find the right words and, honestly, it killed him. 

What the hell is wrong with you! Just tell her your sorry, that you were wrong!

"Did you even think about that? ... About me?" Betty's voice broke on the last word and in that moment so did Jughead's heart. He looked at her then, trying desperately to convey his emotions with his eyes, but it wasn't enough. Betty wanted words, words that he couldn't for the life of him find. 

Agonizingly long seconds passed before she finally released a loud, shaky breath and discreetly wiped her eyes. She steeled herself and looked at him, cracked with sorrow. 

"I guess not." she sobbed brokenly and Jughead's heart went into overdrive. 

No, No, no, no ... NO! Betty ... Just apologize you god damn idiot! 

When she turned for the door, Jughead moved frantically, ignoring the sharp pain that erupted through his body as he tried to reach her, but she was gone before he could, leaving him to gasp her name and his late apology in agony. 

 

Betty wasn't sure how fast she ran or how far, but somehow she ended up back in her room. She slammed the door, not caring if her mother heard and sank to the floor as fresh tears spilled from her eyes and her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. How could Jughead do this to her? How could he be so stupid? And how could he not trust her or apologize for what he did, even after seeing how hurt she was? 

She sighed laboriously, trying to expel the disappointment she felt towards him and when that didn't work she looked up, focusing her puffy eyes on her bedroom window. Seeing it open, the way she always left it when she wanted him to come over, made something snapped inside her.  

Suddenly furious, Betty stood up and without hesitation, she crossed the length of her room and slammed it shut. 

~~~

Jughead lay on his bed in Archie's room staring up at the ceiling, struggling to fall asleep. He could lie to himself and say that it was the mild pain he felt in his ribs and head that kept him awake, but the truth was far simpler and unfortunately unavoidable. 

It had been four days since his fight with Betty and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't stop thinking about it. He'd been given time off from school to recuperate which left him with nothing much to do except sit on the couch pretending to watch tv while his mind raced with thoughts of her. She hadn't returned his countless calls and texts and he'd become so desperate that he even started looking out the window to see if she'd opened hers. He'd been left disappointed every time. 

There was no denying it, he knew that he'd messed up big time and that he deserved every single angry stare and word that she had thrown at him that day. Why hadn't he told Betty what he was doing? Why didn't he apologize when he had the chance? Why the hell hadn't he trusted her?

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid ...

He exhaled with frustration and shifted his sleeping position for the millionth time that night. He wiped furiously at a stray tear that rolled down his cheek and sniffed as he tried to suppress the rest. God, he was such an idiot! 

"Jug?" he heard Archie say quietly. Jughead squeezed his eyes shut and sighed stiffly. 

"Yeah?" he said eventually, trying to sound like he wasn't crying. He heard his friend shift in his own bed, but out of shame didn't turn to face him. 

"I know you're going through a lot, but," Archie paused, most likely to think over his words, "But maybe you should just go to Betty and talk to her. Even if she refuses to see you just beg to explain things. You and I both know that she cares about you ... that she loves you. You just need to remind her." 

Jughead sighed in response. He didn't have the heart to tell his hope filled friend that he'd already done that. On the second day of his recuperation, after stewing over the fight for the last 48 hours and being interrogated by Keller, he'd crossed the quiet street and with every ounce of nerve he had left knocked on the door. 

Of course, Betty wasn't the one who answered, instead it was her older sister Polly, who didn't look surprised to see him at all. Almost shyly, he'd asked to speak to Betty and Polly, obviously under instruction, told him Betty didn't want to see anyone right now. A little despondent, he thanked her quietly and turned to leave, but not before Polly reached out and grabbed his arm. 

"Just give her time Jug," she said, giving him a soft, comforting smile, "She'll come around." 

She'll come around. He'd repeated the words to himself every single chance he got, hoping that Polly was right. 

"Yeah, maybe I'll do that. Thanks for the advice Arch." Jughead tried to sound as optimistic as possible, but like most of what he said these days it didn't come off remotely close to what he intended. 

"It is good advice, are you going to take it?" when Jughead simply responded with silence, Archie sighed, "Man, you're just as self loathing as Veronica." he muttered. 

Jughead ignored the comment and kept his eyes focused on the wall in front of him. Betty. He just wanted to make things right with her, so he could see her again, talk to her again, touch her again. She'll come around, she'll come around. He felt his heart pinch and twist painfully as he bit back another sob. 

A sudden, but noticeable vibration dragged him away from his thoughts. He sighed almost angrily and reached for his phone, wincing only slightly when the light hit his sore and tired eyes.

Jughead almost dropped his phone when he saw Betty's name on the screen and his hammering heart almost burst when he saw the message she'd sent him. 

Come over ... please. 

~~~

Jughead squinted up at Betty's house through the darkness. Yup, her window was definitely open. Ignoring the subtle but obvious pain along his ribs, Jughead propped the ladder against the windowsill and immediately climbed up to her room. 

Betty's room was dark and quiet. He glanced at the bed and in the faint natural light he just managed to see Betty, tucked beneath the covers with her back facing him. He kicked off his shoes and approached the bed, stopping short when he saw her diary lying on the duvet. He froze, not entirely sure what to do, eventually he decided that no harm ever came from moving something. It was already open when he picked it up and without really meaning to he caught sight of the last thing she had written down. 

Why didn't he tell me?  
Why didn't he trust me? 

Jughead's heart tore just a little and he clenched his jaw as he closed the diary and placed it on her bedside table. He pulled back the covers and awkwardly slipped in beside her. 

Now that he was lying next to her, once again he wasn't sure what to do. Should he reach for her or not? He got his answer however, when she rolled and turned to face. 

"Dammit." he gasped quietly when he saw her dismal, tear stained face. He studied her for a moment, silently cursing himself for ever putting her through this and she waited, wanting him to speak first. 

"You're right," he began, "I didn't think about what I was doing or how it would affect you if something ever happened to me. I should have told you and," he paused, taking a deep, shuddering breath as tears of his own started to form, "I'm so sorry that I didn't Betts ... I'm so sorry." 

A tear rolled down his cheek and to his surprise Betty reached forward and caught it with her fingers. 

"I could've lost you Jug." she sobbed the words so softly that it only made him feel worse. She kept her fingers on his face and the lingering contact sent a wave of warmth through his body. 

"I know, but you have to know that the reason why I didn't tell you wasn't because I don't trust you ... I was so wrapped up in the mystery and excitement that it completely slipped my mind and I'm so sorry for making you feel that way. It wasn't fair on you at all," he lifted his eyes to hers, "I ... I love you Betty Cooper, I love you so much." 

His words made her move closer to him and he sighed with relief when she nuzzled her face into his chest. 

"I love you too." Betty whispered into his shirt and his heart swelled, mending almost immediately. 

'I love you' wasn't something they said very often which only made its affect all the more vital when they did. She pulled back to look at him and Jughead, not wanting to waste anymore time, closed the space between with a warm and passionate kiss, igniting a moment which allowed them to prove just how much they did love each other. 

A while later, they lay in bed together, enjoying the calm and comforting silence that had fallen over them. Betty sighed contently and nuzzled herself deeper into Jughead's bare chest. 

"Does it hurt?" she asked, gently running her fingers over Jughead's bruised and injured ribs. 

"Sometimes, but not right now." he said, his hand mimicking hers as he stroked it softly over her bare back. 

She smiled up at him and using the same hand, lifted her fingers up to his face, stroking them along his hairline where a freshly healed scar now existed. He watched her, noticing the worry in her eyes and it occurred to him that this was the second time she'd seen him in a beaten state in such a short space of time. He cursed himself, vowing to never put her through this again. 

"What did he say to you?" she asked curiously. Jughead looked at her not quite understanding the question. 

"Who?"

"That Serpent, the night of the Talent Show?" Jughead sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't want to revisit the memory, but he had no intention of keeping anything from her ever again. 

"He said that next time I come to The Snake Pit I should bring you again so that he and his thugs can 'meet' you personally," Betty swallowed, realizing exactly what Jughead meant by 'meet', "I shouldn't have reacted, but I ... I just couldn't." 

"Hey," Betty said, quickly cupping his face with her hand, "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong." 

She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and he exhaled heavily, trying to calm himself down. She smiled at him and moved her fingers down to his lips, tracing them lightly.

"Thank you for telling me." she said and he couldn't help but smile back, kissing her finger tips softly. 

"I'm never keeping anything from you ever again."

"Juggie -"

"No Betts, I mean it! I could’ve died and I lost four days with you because I didn't say anything. I'm never putting you or me through that again!" he said firmly. She simply smiled up at him and snuggled back into his chest. 

"I love you." she whispered and he sighed, certain that he would never ever get tired of hearing that. 

"I love you too" he promised as they quietly drifted off together.


	14. The Shadow Descends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jus that to get this out before tonight’s episode incase my writing mojo gets messed around again. Anyway, enjoy Xx

"Relax Betty." Jughead breathed against her ear. She jumped slightly at the unexpected sound, but quickly composed herself. 

"I am relaxed." Betty said as casually as she could, her hand clutching his tightly. 

"Really?" he smirked, glancing down at their tightly wrapped hands. 

Betty looked up at him and sighed at the teasing, yet encouraging smile he gave her, thinking once again, that he was far too convincing for his own good. 

It was Friday night and they were sitting in a booth a Pops, waiting for Archie and Veronica to arrive. It had been almost a week since The Westside debacle and, sensing the obvious misery it caused his girlfriend, Jughead decided that it was time for B and V to sit down and hash things out as well. 

"I'm sure Veronica isn't as mad as you think?" he said, giving her a comforting squeeze. 

"Well, I'm not so sure," Betty muttered, "She tried to apologize several times this week and I kept pushing her away."

She shook her head at the thought. God, she really hadn't handled things very well. Truthfully, she did have a very good reason to be mad at both Jughead and Veronica, but once her anger had simmered for a while it was soon replaced with a deep sense of longing. There was no denying that what they had done was incredibly stupid, but she couldn't bear the thought of not having either of them in her life.

Making up with Jughead had been easy, mostly because she knew from Polly that he'd already come by hoping to make amends and her desperation to have him near again, caused her to cave and beg him to come over. He had cried, apologized profusely and professed his love for her - All the things she had hoped he'd do. Their reunion thereafter had been simple and passionate. 

The situation with Veronica, on the other hand, was completely different. 

Initially, Betty had done everything in her power to avoid Veronica and if she did happen to bump into her, the interaction was very, very brief.   
When the end of the week arrived, Betty's ire had cooled, but Veronica had given up trying to get her apology out, leaving Betty to agonize over the possibility that she might've waited too long to hear her raven haired friend out. 

Prompted by the thought, fresh tears started to roll down Betty's cheeks and Jughead quickly wiped them away, pulling her closer to him. 

"Hey, you're the B to her V, she'll forgive you." he said, giving her a gentle, reassuring kiss. 

A few minutes later, the bell above the door jingled as Archie and then Veronica stepped into view. Betty straightened the moment Veronica saw her, but felt a little crestfallen when she saw her frantically whisper something in Archie's ear.

"Breathe." Jughead whispered, giving her hand a squeeze.

They watched Archie whisper something back before he took Veronica's hand and came over to their booth.

"Hey guys!" he said brightly. 

"Hey Arch." 

The boys waited for Betty and Veronica to say something and when they didn't, the space around them turned awkward. 

"So, Arch ... should we go and get the food?" Jughead suggested quickly. 

"Sounds good!" Archie said with a knowing smile. They both gave their girlfriends a kiss for good luck and headed off to the diners front counter, leaving Betty and Veronica alone. 

With no other choice, Veronica sat down on the opposite side of the booth. They were both silent for a moment, avoiding each other's eyes. 

"Listen, V —" 

"B, I'm —" 

They spoke over each other and both of them chuckled at how eager they were to make things right. They looked up then, their eyes filled with laughter and forgiveness. There was nothing to be angry about, not anymore. It was their shame and stubbornness that had kept them apart up until now and all they had to do was push it aside and allow their true feelings to rise above. It was Veronica who spoke first. 

"I really am sorry Betty."

"It's alright V! Please don't apologize. Jughead explained everything to me." 

Veronica raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, suddenly curious. "What exactly did he explain?"

"Just that you were pushy and determined to go with him, because in your own way you refused to let him go alone." 

Veronica sat back and smiled broadly. "I didn't think he picked up on that." she admitted and they both laughed again. Betty's smile faded quickly though when she felt her own guilt rise to the surface just waiting to be heard.

"If anyone should be apologizing it's me. I'm really am sorry that I didn't hear you out sooner. I was —" 

"— Furious?" Veronica offered, "It's fine! Trust me, I would have been just as mad if you had gone off to some death trap in the middle of the forest without telling anyone as well. Friends?" 

"Best friends!" Betty corrected, making Veronica smile brightly. They both slipped out of the booth and met in the middle, giving each other a long overdue hug. 

A few minutes later, the boys returned with the food, both of them happy to see that B and V were back on good terms again. When Jughead slipped in next to Betty, she surprised him with an unexpected, but heartfelt kiss. 

"Thank you." she said warmly. 

"For what?" he asked, a smile twitching on his lips. 

"For being so convincing." Jughead grinned and kissed her again. 

They spent the rest of the evening laughing, talking and eating with stolen kisses in between it all- an effect Pops always seemed to have on them. A couple of hours later, the evening was slowly winding down and as the gang finished the last of their milkshakes, Betty noticed that Jughead had grown rather quiet.

While Archie and Veronica canoodled opposite them, Betty turned her attention to her own boyfriend. 

"Hey, are you okay?" 

Jughead, who was looking past Betty and out the window, shifted his eyes to hers. 

"I'm sorry, what?" Betty giggled at the puzzled look on his face. 

"You've been staring out the window for the last ten minutes, are you okay?" she asked again. 

Jughead smiled. "I'm fine, I'm just ... thinking." 

"About?" 

"Things." he teased and she smacked him playfully. Ever a mystery she thought. 

"I'll be right back." Betty laughed as she got up to go to the bathroom. 

 

Betty washed her hands and glanced up at her happy reflection in the mirror. Tonight had been a gift, like a breath of fresh air to distract them if only for a moment. Recent events had forced her and Jughead to pull away from each other and fall behind on their investigation, but that was over now and they had the whole of tomorrow and Sunday to catch up and Betty couldn't be more excited or happy. 

She was in the middle of drying her hands when she heard it. The loud, lazy roar of not one but several motorbikes somewhere in the distance. She listened intently as the deafening sound grew closer, filling her with a terrible sense of dread. She stepped towards the door, suddenly desperate to be near her friends again, when a brick suddenly smashed through the bathroom window, making her scream. 

 

It all happened so fast. 

When the first brick smashed through one of the diners many windows, Jughead thought he had imagined it, until several more crashed through the panes of glass and everyone started screaming. He felt someone pull on him then and he landed roughly on the floor just as the window next to their booth shattered, the fragments of glass raining down on them like bullets. 

In a panicked stricken haze, Jughead looked up and watched as frightened people scrambled for the exit, fleeing from the fire that had started consuming the space around them. He felt Archie grab him and yank him to his feet. 

"We have to go Jug!" The red head yelled and when he realized that Archie was pulling him towards the exit, it suddenly dawned on him that they were missing someone. 

Oh my God ... Betty! 

Without a moments hesitation, Jughead ripped his friends hands off him and ran back towards the flames. 

"Jughead!" he heard Archie and Veronica both scream, but he ignored them, his mind set on one thing and one thing only. 

Jughead found Betty on the floor near the sinks, surrounded by shards of glass and bricks, shaking and crying and clearly in shock. A small fire had started in one of the bathroom stalls and he quickly rushed over to her, dropping to his knees when he reached her. 

"Betty! ... Betty we have to go!" he pleaded desperately, giving her a little shake, "We have to go now!" When she didn't respond, he quickly slipped his arms around her waist and hauled her up to her feet, leaning her against him for support. 

The heat from the fire was beyond excruciating, it's black smoke thick, harsh and poisonous as Jughead led them towards safety. He felt Betty wrap her arm around his waist, helping to steady her footsteps as they made their way towards the exit. Weak and gasping for air, they tripped and hit the graveled ground hard, coughing and breathing heavily. 

As soon as they emerged from the diner, Archie and Veronica ran over and helped their friends move towards the far end of the parking lot where everyone else had gathered. The four of them stood for a moment, trying desperately to catch their breath and when reality finally hit, Betty broke away from Veronica and immediately wrapped her arms around Jughead, thanking him for saving her life as she cried frantically into his chest. 

He held her tightly whispering comforting words in return, as the towns beloved diner went up in flames before their eyes. 

~~~

An hour later, the four of them were in Archie's lounge, recovering from the whole ordeal, while their parents were in the kitchen talking to Sheriff Keller about the seriousness of the situation. 

Jughead sank into the couch a little more, his hand gently stroking Betty's arm. She had fallen asleep with her head in his lap as soon as they sat down, exhausted and overwhelmed from the nights events. Archie and Veronica had fallen asleep on the couch as well and while Jughead was tired, he had no intention of joining them. 

He listened to the furious whispering coming the next room, wishing more than anything that he could hear what they were saying. He had a horrible feeling, deep down in the pit of his stomach, that there was more to this attack on Pops than meets the eye. 

Just then Fred Andrews stepped out of the kitchen and into the lounge. He offered Jughead a small smile and leaned against a nearby wall. 

"You doing alright Jug?" he asked, keeping his voice low. 

"As good as I can be." Jughead replied honestly. Fred nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor, trying to hide his concern. 

"Understandable, I guess," the older man said with a weak smile. He looked up then, almost apologetically and sighed. "I know you've had a rough day, Jug, but Sheriff Keller would like to ask you some questions, if that's alright?" 

Jughead nodded and visibly swallowed when he saw the unsettled look in Fred's eyes. He moved slowly, shifting Betty until she was lying on the couch, still blissfully pardoned from reality, and followed Archie's dad into the next room. 

All the parents were spread out around the kitchen, all of them talking amongst themselves until Jughead walked in. He felt a little uncomfortable by the perusal they all gave him, feeling as though a giant spotlight had been pointed directly at him. 

Keller was seated at he kitchen table with Alice Cooper, looking as stern as ever, standing directly behind him. Her husband and Veronica's mother, Hermione stood off to the side looking rather unsettled. Jughead took a seat opposite Keller and Fred sat down beside him in a show of support. 

"How you doing son? Everything alright?" The Sheriff asked, as gently as he could. Jughead nodded. Like everyone else, he had sustained a couple of cuts and burns in the fire, but it wasn't anything serious.

Keller nodded as well and cleared his throat. "I know tonight has been pretty traumatic for you already, but I feel ... obligated to share some vital information with you?" 

Jughead nodded again not quite sure what to say or to make of this. He waited for a while, watching Keller chew on his cheek and shift with discomfort. 

"Oh for gods sakes!" Alice Cooper said suddenly, "The whole attack was a ruse, a distraction to break that gangbanger you crossed paths with out of prison!" 

"Alice —" 

"Shut up Hal!" Alice snapped, "Would you rather lie to him or sugarcoat it? He deserves to know the truth, his life is at risk after all!" 

Jughead was more than a little stunned by Alice's words, mostly because she had never really show much concern for him before. He guessed that she really did appreciate the fact that he had saved Betty's life. And then the rest of her words impacted, hitting him like a bulldozer. 

He felt his heart beat furiously in his chest as he recalled the words. His life is at risk after all. 

That was a bit of an understatement. A dangerous man who had seen his face wasn't behind bars anymore and had the full strength of a gang behind him now as well, a gang who were the number one suspects in Emma Monroe's murder. Yeah, his life was definitely at risk. 

Sensing Jughead's fear, Fred quickly placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Jug, we're not going to let anything happen to you," he said firmly. 

"He's right," Keller added then, "I'll have units posted around the house and neighborhood until we can think of a better solution. But on a more positive note, your actions did ensure that nobody knew about Veronica's presence there, which is definitely a relief."

Keller was right. That tiny bit of information did make Jughead feel better, but it wasn't enough to tame his thumping heart. He opened his mouth to ask a few question, but a sharp knock on the front door made him swallow his words. Like a highly strung cat, Keller immediately stood up and pulled out his gun, unnerving everyone. 

"Oh put your gun away Sure Shot before you hurt yourself!" Alice said dismissively. She shoved past him and walked towards the front door, her high heels clicking with purpose. Keller muttered something under his breath before sheathing his gun and following after her. 

Without so much as a care in the world, Alice yanked the front door open and rolled her eyes when she saw a young police officer standing on the front porch.

"What?" she barked before Keller could. The officer fumbled over his words for a moment, clearly intimidated. 

"Ah — there's .. there's someone here to see Jughead." he finally managed to say. When Jughead heard his name he immediately stood up and headed towards the door. 

When he spotted Johnny and Dom standing on the sidewalk, waiting for permission to approach the house, Jughead rolled his eyes at the questioning look Alice and Keller both gave him. 

"It's okay guys, I know them." he said, stepping around the two of them to join the Serpents on the sidewalk. 

"Hey, what's up?" 

"You tell us?" Dom replied, glancing at the burns on Jughead's arm, "We saw what the Ghoulies did to Pops. You wanna tell us what happened?"

Jughead sighed and explained the whole situation to them. Everything. From what happened in the Westside to what happened that night. By the time he was finished Johnny was horrified and Dom's eyes held a kind of ferocity that Jughead had never seen him display before. 

"Let me guess," The older Serpent said after a while, his voice cold and angry, "That Ghoulie isn't behind bars anymore, is he?" Jughead nodded. 

"Huh, figures," Johnny spat, "First we find out that we have a mole amongst The Serpents and now The Ghoulies have broken our pact and attacked the town to get one of their own back! Something has be done Dom." 

"Something will be done," Dom promised sternly, "But right now we have to protect Jughead. He's seen too much and I highly doubt The Ghoulies will just let him walk away from this." He looked up towards the house where Alice and Keller still stood, watching with mild patience, "If it's alright with you Sheriff, I'd like to send some of my boys to help out?" 

Keller was more than a little stunned by the unexpected proposal. He stepped out onto the porch, considering Dom's words carefully. 

"I guess a few more eyes couldn't hurt." he agreed eventually, "I'll let my people know." 

Dom nodded his thanks and turned his attention back to Johnny. "Head over to The Snake Pit and rally up a few men, the ones we can trust. I'll be there shortly." Johnny nodded and was gone moments later. Dom turned his eyes on Jughead. "As for you, everything you've discovered so far only proves that The Ghoulies are neck deep in whatever the hell this is. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, they're gunning for you Jug and when they make their move, we'll be ready for them." Jughead nodded, trying not to show how apprehensive he was. 

"I'm pretty sure protecting me will only provoke them." he pointed out.

"It might," Dom agreed, "But Serpents protect their own, and besides, I made your dad a promise one that I intend to keep. If the Ghoulies want a war they'll get one." 

~~~

A couple of hours later, Jughead was lying in his bed with Betty snuggled warmly into his side. He smiled at their current position. He never thought in a million years that Betty's mother would actually let her spend the night with him or that his single bed would be able to accommodate them both, but Betty was so tightly wrapped against him, it was almost as if they were one person. He sighed, feeling content for the first time in six hours. 

He had told Betty everything and naturally she had been terrified, and he had spent a good hour of their time in bed together, helping her breathe and come to terms with it, until she finally fell asleep beside him. 

In many respects, they were pretty safe here. Not long after he left, Dom sent back six burly Serpents to help Keller's officers keep an eye on things and while this did ease Betty's anxiety slightly, he could tell that she was still petrified and, to be honest, so was he. He took a deep shuddering breath and tried to focus on her breathing, on her warmth, pulling as much comfort as he could to calm his own anxiety. 

There are always consequences to every action and, in his haste to solve a murder, Jughead hadn't taken the time to consider the ones his meddling could bring. He wasn't ignorant enough to think that it wouldn't be dangerous, but he had been foolish enough to forget the impact his actions could have on others. And now he was a target and so was anyone who was remotely close to him. This new threat suddenly made him painfully aware of everyone in his life. Of Betty, and how much she actually meant to him. He slipped his hand under her shirt, running his fingers over her smooth back. 

No matter the outcome, he wasn't going to lose her. He would make damn sure of that. 

He heard his phone buzz beside him, ripping him away from his thoughts. He reached for it and sighed when he saw that it was another message from Archie. 

A: Everything alright? 

J: For the millionth time, everything is fine here. Now go keep Veronica company and get some sleep. 

A: Alright buddy, see you tomorrow. 

J: Night Arch.

Jughead stared at his phone for a moment before he put it down, reminding himself that he would have to thank Archie and everyone who had helped him at some point. He felt Betty shift beside him then, pressing herself into him a little more and he sighed, hugging her close as he closed his eyes and pretended to fall sleep.


	15. Taken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m not entirely happy with this chapter, but I edited it like a million times before I eventually gave up and decided to like it! Anyway, hope you enjoy and thanks for all the love!!!

The next morning, Betty and Jughead were busy eating breakfast in the kitchen when Johnny Moran walked through the door, looking absolutely exhausted. 

"Jeez, no offense Johnny but you look terrible!" Jughead commented, taking in the young Serpents haggard appearance. Johnny smiled weakly.

"Yeah well, you'd also look like crap if you spent half the night running all over the damn place as well." he said as he helped himself to some coffee and joined them at the table. 

"Do you have any news?" Betty asked anxiously. She felt Jughead take her hand under the table and tried to relax, which was no small feat especially after everything he had told her the night before. He was being targeted by a murderous gang of criminals and it was only a matter of time until they found him. She was terrified, mostly because, despite all the reassurances she had been given so far, Betty couldn't guess the outcome of this situation or convince herself entirely that Jughead would be safe. 

"Nothing yet," Johnny said after a grateful sip of coffee, "But we're not going to wait for them to start mobilizing." 

"What do you mean?" Jughead asked with a curious frown. Betty mimicked him, feeling just as curious as he was. 

Johnny sighed and kept his eyes averted as sat his coffee cup down on the table. When he looked up at them again, he was serious but somehow also sincere. It made Betty squeeze Jughead's hand just a little bit more. 

"Dom and I came up with a plan last night and we think that, instead of waiting for them to make the first move, we should bait them." 

Jughead nodded immediately, understanding exactly what Johnny had said, but Betty wasn't nearly as clued up as them. 

"I'm sorry, bait them?" she repeated. 

"We're going to make them think Jughead is in the Southside, when in reality he'll be somewhere else entirely," Johnny explained, "They'll send a force after him and when they do, we'll be ready and waiting to end this once and for all!" 

The almost arrogant confidence in Johnny's voice made Betty feel both nervous and positive at the same time. She sighed and looked at Jughead, who gave her a reassuring smile in return. Well, clearly he believed in the plan. 

"Will that even work though?" she asked.

"It has in the past," Johnny said, trying to reassure her as well, "So, as long as we do it correctly - which we will, then everything will be fine." 

Betty nodded slightly, but she still seemed a little unconvinced. Jughead noticed and shifted his chair closer to hers.  

"It's okay Betts, my dad has used this strategy before and it worked." he said, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her even closer. 

"It's our best option at this point if we want to rid Riverdale of their presence for good,” Johnny added, "If we beat the Ghoulies then we can chase them off our territory and if lose or draw, then we'll negotiate a deal. Either way, we'll do everything we possibly can to make sure Jug is safe." 

Betty took a moment to process things. She kept her eyes fixed on Jughead, studying him for any hint of doubt or discomfort towards the idea and when she didn't see any she sighed again, this time with acceptance. She couldn't think of a better plan and quite frankly, there wasn't any time. 

"Where are you going to take him?" she asked eventually. Jughead smiled warmly and gave her a gentle squeeze. She smiled back and even though she didn't like the idea of not being near him, if it kept him safe, then she was all for it. 

"Keller will take him to one of our safe houses in Greendale. Give it a week and everything should be safe for him to return." 

A week? Betty's face noticeably fell at the thought of being away from him for so long and Jughead chuckled at the sight, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead. She couldn't understand how he could be so calm and ... happy in the face of everything that was happening. She guessed that, deep down, he was scared as well, but because of her anxiety, he was doing everything he possibly could not to show it. Somehow, that tiny little detail, made her love him even more if such a thing was possible. 

"What about the mole?" Jughead  asked suddenly. Betty turned to Johnny, searching for answers as well. 

"Don't worry about that, we've got it handled." he assured them both and thankfully they trusted him enough to end the conversation about the mole there. 

By the end of the day, all the details of the plan had been hashed out and passed on to those who needed to know. Jughead and Sheriff Keller would leave early tomorrow morning and as soon as they were gone, the rumor that Jughead had taken refuge in the basement of The Snake Pit would start moving around the Southside and, hopefully, in a weeks times it would all be over. 

Of course, the reality of the situation only really took shape when Betty was lying in bed with Jughead later on that night. They had just finished laughing about how her mother had uncharacteristically allowed Betty to stay with Jughead once again when a unexpected silence fell over them. 

They soaked in it for a while, exchanging and absorbing each other's warmth, until Betty finally looked up and saw him staring at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked him quietly. Jughead didn't respond immediately, but when he eventually shifted his eyes to hers, he suddenly felt compelled to speak his mind. 

"I'm scared," he admitted, his voice soft and vulnerable, "I know it seems like I've been confident all day, but the fact that this is actually happening now has made me realize how terrified I actually am." 

Betty swallowed nervously, feeling her own fear bubble away inside of her. She knew that he had been hiding his unrest, suppressing it for her benefit and in a way she was glad that he felt comfortable enough to share how he truly felt with her, but Johnny was right; this was their best and only option at this point. 

"I know you're scared Jug, am I too, but people keep telling me that everything will be alright and, honestly, I believe them." she said, trying her best to reassure him now. Jughead moved then, shifting his body until he hovered over her slightly. 

"But do you really believe that though?" he asked.

"I have to Juggie, it's the only way I'll get though this with my sanity still in tact." Betty said as firmly as she could. She reached up and gently caressed his face and he smiled, leaning into her touch.

His eyes held hers and Betty had to take a moment to still her beating heart. She would never get tired of Jughead being more concerned about her well being than his own, because even though he was the target of a deadly gang, she was always his first concern, his first thought. She smiled when she saw the clear, doubtless love in his eyes, the desperation to ease her and keep her safe. No, she would never tire of seeing that. 

"A week is a long time," he reminded her, "Are you sure you'll manage without me?"

"Are you sure you'll manage?" she retorted with a playful giggle which only made him smile wider. 

"Honestly Betts, this will be the longest week of my life." he admitted as he leaned down and kissed her smiling mouth softly. She sighed against his lips, knowing exactly how he felt.

 

Jughead sighed as he loaded his bag into the boot of Keller's unmarked 'civilian' car. It was early in the morning, so early in fact that the sun hadn't even risen yet, but according to Keller; the sooner they got out of Riverdale, the sooner this whole affair could end. That was the part Jughead was looking forward to the most. That and being near Betty once again. 

He had said goodbye to Archie and Veronica the night before, promising both of them that he would text and stay safe. Only Fred, Alice and Betty came to see him and Keller off, which quite frankly, made Jughead feel a lot more comfortable. The less people who knew about all of this, the better. 

While the adults stood off to the side, talking amongst themselves, Jughead turned his attention to Betty. She was waiting for him near the front passenger door of the car and even in the dim light of almost dawn he could tell that she had been crying. Jughead didn't say anything as he walked over and hugged her, breathing in her scent, her warmth, her touch, knowing that he wouldn't get any of it for at least a week. She held him just as tightly, her face turned into his neck, her lips pressed to his skin. He could feel fresh tears trickle down her cheeks and he wished more than anything that he could take them away.

"I love you so much." he whispered, so that only she could hear. He turned his face to kiss her neck gently and her lips pulled into a smile against his skin. She stepped back slightly and quickly settled her mouth on his, kissing him with everything she could muster. 

"I love you too," she whispered when the kiss finally broke. He sighed and dropped his forehead to hers. They stayed like that, prolonging the moment for as long as they possibly could, until they heard a car door slam, snapping them back to their sad reality. 

Jughead unwillingly pried himself away from Betty and said goodbye to both Alice and Fred. He pulled Betty in for one more hug, kissing her softly again and then he was in the car, leaving the three of them behind as it drove off down the street. He looked back over his shoulder until they turned the corner and he couldn't see Betty anymore, but he knew that he would see her again soon, it was only a matter of time now. 

Jughead reluctantly turned in his seat and settled in for the drive. He rested his head against the window beside him, watching Riverdale go by until it disappeared entirely. 

~~~

The clock on the wall was nearing midnight when Keller came rushing downstairs, looking serious and restless with anticipation. 

"It's happening!" was all he said as he headed into the garage to listen to the police calls over his CV radio. Jughead, who had been reading a book on the couch, sat up immediately. He wanted to follow Keller into garage and listen, but a larger part of him - the part that won - didn't. If things failed to go well tonight, then he'd be stuck in Greendale for a longer period of time and he wasn't sure if he could bare the thought of that right now. 

It had been three days since Jughead had left Riverdale and all he had done in that time was read, think and wait within the confines of this small safe house. Going outside was prohibited in Keller's 'Witness Protection Program', because even though the house was on the far end of town and Jughead insisted that wouldn't leave the garden, Keller was adamant that he couldn't risk the possibility of being seen. 

In many ways Jughead was like Schrodinger's Cat - currently being held in The Snake Pit's basement. Seen, but unseen. His fate unknown until the final reveal - and while the concept was pretty cool, it was also really boring being stuck in a place that offered very little in terms of distractions. 

Jughead sighed and was about to carry on reading when he heard his phone vibrate on the coffee table. He reached for it immediately and smiled when he saw that it was a message from Archie. 

A: Just got the call. It's happening Jug. 

J: Yeah, Keller just told me as well. How's everything going there? 

A: Everything seems fine. Just heard a couple of gunshots though. 

Jughead swallowed the lump in his throat as he read the message, silently hoping that the Serpents would keep their promise and keep the violence contained on the Southside. 

J: Is Betty with you? 

A: Yeah don't worry, she's fast asleep in my room with Veronica. 

J: That's good, thanks man. Just keep me posted okay? 

A: You got it buddy. 

Jughead clicked the screen off and sighed. He sank into the couch a little more and listened to the crackle of radio chatter coming from the garage. This was it. The defining moment that would hopefully make the last few days worth something. He had done his part, now everyone else had to do theirs. His felt his phone vibrate again and his heart squeezed with longing when he saw Betty's name on the screen. 

B: Hey :) Are you awake?

J: I am now - What's up?

B: Nothing. I just can't sleep - Haven't been able to for a while now. 

J: Why? What's wrong? 

Jughead started to wonder if Betty had heard the gunshots Archie had mentioned earlier when her next message came through. 

B: I just miss you ... a lot.

Her answer was so simple and not at all what he expected. It made his heart swell. 

J: I miss you a lot too :(

B: I heard Fred talking on the phone earlier and I also heard some gun shots. It's happening, isn't it? 

J: Yeah it is - But I'm sure it'll be over soon. 

A few minutes passed between messages and Jughead spent the time wondering what she was doing or thinking or wearing. He was chuckling to himself when her next message came through. 

B: If things go well - How long will it take for you to come back? 

J: Maybe a few days, just to be safe - it depends on the how severe the outcome is. 

In truth, Jughead didn't really know how long it would take, but he didn't want to lie and get her hopes up either. Even if The Ghoulies lost, convincing all of them to stand down at same time after a major brawl like this would not be easy. They would wait for Dom's okay before they risked going back. 

B: I wish you were here now :(

J: I think it would be a little cramped with Veronica there ...

B: I'd kick her out ... 

J: Haha, I bet you would! ;)

B: ;D

B: What's Greendale like anyway?

J: Horrible! but that might be because I've been stuck inside for the last few days so ...

B: It can't be that bad! ... I'm sure you have a couple of books to keep you company. 

J: I do and its not that bad - but It would be a lot better if you were here. 

B: *blushing* 

J: *laughing* 

B: Stop teasing me! 

Jughead laughed at the screen and before he could stop himself, he pictured her giggling and hiding under the covers like she always did when he teased her. And suddenly he wished he was there to see it, to laugh with her as he coaxed her out and held her tight.

B: What are you thinking about? 

J: You. Laughing with you, teasing you, holding you ... What are you thinking about? 

B: How long it would take me to run to Greendale right now. 

J: Haha, you probably would do that wouldn't you? 

B: Yes, I would :) 

J: I would too ;) 

B: *blushing again*

Jughead chuckled was thinking about what to type next when another message came through. 

B: I have a problem ... 

J: What is it? 

B: I want to keep talking to you, but my eyes won't let me ... I should probably get some sleep. 

Jughead smiled and then laughed when he pictured her tired, grumpy face.

J: Its okay, I should probably gets some sleep as well - call you tomorrow? 

B: Lookin forward to it - Sleep well Juggie <3 

J: You too Betts. 

Jughead smiled and with nothing better to do after an exhausting day of doing absolutely nothing, he sent a text to Keller telling him that he was going to bed and headed upstairs, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

 

When Jughead came downstairs the next morning he found Sheriff Keller in the kitchen making himself a cup of coffee. He still wasn't used to seeing him do 'domestic' things, but he accepted a cup of coffee from him nonetheless. Jughead sat down at the wonky kitchen table and noticed that Keller seemed indifferent when he joined him.

"So, what happened last night?" Jughead asked, unable to curb his curiosity any longer. 

"Still waiting for an update, but it sounds like everything went well."

Jughead waited for more information and when Keller didn't say anything else, he cleared his throat with frustration

"Was it a draw? A win?" he swallowed nervously, "A loss?" 

"Things went back and forth for a while, but I think the Serpents came out on top." Keller said, sipping his coffee slowly. Jughead frowned at the lackluster response. 

How the hell is Kevin related to this guy? 

"You don't seem very confident." Jughead pointed out. Keller shrugged and started reading the newspaper on the table. 

"Let's just wait for the call, alright?" he said. 

Feeling disgruntled, Jughead nodded and the two of them drank their coffee in a long, awkward silence until Keller's phone finally rang. 

He took the call in the next room, just in case it was bad news and Jughead waited, hoping that it wasn't. His fears from the night before crept back into his mind. He wasn't sure how much longer he could sit in this tiny house or be away from the people in his life, until he eventually snapped. When Keller returned a few minutes later he still looked apathetic until he sat down and smiled ever so slightly. 

"Dom says it's all clear. We can go back in three days."

The smile that stretched over Jughead's face was so wide it actually hurt his cheeks. He thanked Keller and immediately dialed Betty's number as soon as he left the room. 

 

They spent the next couple of days cooped up in the small Greendale safe house and in that time Jughead discovered that, in addition to drinking coffee, he and Keller both enjoyed and valued their personal space. 

Now that he didn't have to patrol all the time, Jughead saw him a lot more, but they didn't say much to each other and, honestly, both of them preferred it that way. There was the occasional conversation between the two of them and while the moments were short lived, it was bearable and pleasant enough. Jughead spent most of his time in his room reading or talking to Archie and Betty, who were both thrilled to hear that he would be coming home soon. 

"I can't believe you're coming home tomorrow!" Betty said, her excitement clear over the phone and Jughead chuckled in response to her enthusiasm. 

"I can't believe this plan actually worked." he said happily. 

"I can't either! What time do you think you'll be back?"

"I think Keller wants to leave early so we should be back mid to late morning." Jughead said and he could practically see her smiling through the phone.

"Not that I don't want you to come back, but are you sure it's safe?" she asked and Jughead couldn't help but smile at her concern. 

"It'll be fine Betts." he promised.

"Are you sure?" 

"100% sure!" he said and they both laughed together, mostly because they were happy, more than anything else. 

"So what are you doing right now?" she wondered once they had both calmed down. Apparently she wasn't ready to end their hour long conversation just yet. 

"What do you mean? I'm talking to you." he laughed again. 

"I know that!" Betty giggled, "I meant are you reading a book, glaring at Keller, watching tv or -" 

"- I'm lying in bed." 

"Well then the correct answer to my question should've been; I'm lying in bed talking to you." 

Jughead couldn't help himself as he burst out laughing again. God he missed her, so much that his heart actually ached. 

"Well, what are you doing right now?" 

"Lying in bed talking to you." she chuckled. 

"Copycat!" he teased which made her laugh again.

They ended up talking for another hour before they both decided that it was time for bed. 

"I'll talk- I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" 

"See you tomorrow Juggie, I love you."

"I love you too." he promised and after one more goodbye she was gone. 

Jughead sighed and smiled up at the ceiling, contemplating how things would go from here. The Ghoulies were our of Riverdale, but by no means was the murder investigation over. However, with all the evidence Johnny had given them, and all the events that had transpired as a result, it was only a matter of time until they found the mole within The Serpents and found a connection between The Ghoulies and Emma Monroe's murder. But they would deal with all of that later. Right now, all Jughead wanted was to go home. 

He got up to go to the bathroom then and as he stepped out onto the landing, he heard it. The soft crackle of a radio. Keller's CV radio to be more precise. Jughead froze, listening to the scratchy sound disturb the once unbroken silence. He glanced at Keller's bedroom door down the hall and saw that it was closed, like it was every night. 

Maybe he forgot to turn it off?  
Jughead guessed as he made his way downstairs to silence it. He stepped quietly and cautiously through the dark, feeling like an unlucky teen in a bad horror flick. He brushed it off and carried on. 

Soft moonlight spilled through the kitchen windows making everything seem a little less intense, but only for a moment. Jughead spotted the radio on the kitchen table, gurgling inane, unsettling noises to nobody. He started towards it, but faltered almost immediately when he realized how suspicious it all seemed. 

What the hell was he doing? 

Suddenly alert, his eyes darted around the room, searching for anything that was out of place, until he saw it. A hand and a body sticking out of the shadows on the floor, just enough for him to see. Jughead gasped and stepped back, right into the arms of an intruder. He barely had time to think, to breathe before someone held a cloth over his nose and mouth and within seconds, his eyes rolled back and everything went black.


	16. Lost and Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait!!! But I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also my Bughead heart is broken after this recent episode. :( But don’t lose hope Buggies!

Jughead stirred and groaned quietly as the chloroform slowly started to wear off. He lifted his head abruptly and immediately regretted it when the room started to spin and lurch around him. Feeling like he was going to throw up, he leaned forward to heave, but was restrained by something tight around his arms. Still, he leaned forward as much as possibly could, taking deep breaths, trying to get the dizzy spell to subside. He felt it then, the ice cold water hitting his face and body, bringing him back to life.

Jughead gasped and coughed into the darkness as the unexpected chill seeped into his bones, making him shiver. He tried to move but was once again restrained by the rigid ropes that kept him bound to his chair. 

Where the hell is he? And where the hell is Keller?

“Wake up!” a hard, impatient voice ordered. Jughead felt someone grip his damp hair and roughly yank his head back, forcing him to look up. He blinked against the blinding light as the scene in front of him took shape. 

A dark haired man was sitting on a chair watching him closely, an intently evil smile playing on his lips. Jughead took a moment to study him as well. He was definitely a lot older than he looked, maybe the same age as FP, and both of his arms were covered in an array of tattoos, making him look as dangerous and intimidating as the burly men standing behind him in the shadows. 

Jughead swallowed nervously, once again wondering where the hell he was until it suddenly dawned on him exactly where he could be. 

“Sleep well?” the man asked him calmly. 

Jughead opened his mouth to speak, but the hand in his hair tightened, silencing him immediately. The unknown man smirked and slowly approached Jughead, scraping his chair along the floor, until he was settled in front of him. 

“Do you know who I am?” he asked, his head tilted to the side curiously. 

“If I had to take a wild guess, I’d say you’re the leader of the Ghoulies.” Jughead answered. His eyes lingered on the visible tattoo of a ghoul inked into the mans forearm and his captor smile widely, silently confirming his fears. 

“Trent Wilder.” The man introduced himself, his voice dripping with false charm. He extended his hand in greeting and quickly chuckled at his mistake. He gave a slight nod to the goon standing behind Jughead and the grip on his hair loosened at once. 

“I’m sorry we have to meet under such circumstances, but unfortunately, the situation kind of calls for it.” Trent smiled almost warmly, but the unchecked anger and violence that still simmered in his dark eyes terrified Jughead beyond words. 

“Why am I here?” Jughead asked pointedly. He tried his utmost to keep his face as emotionless as possible, to suppress the unmistakable dread he felt in the pit of his stomach. He knew exactly why he was here and he knew that he would most likely never see the light of day again, but he wasn’t about to show it. To let them win. 

Trent smirked at the unexpected display of bravado, almost as if he were impressed. He nodded his head again and within seconds the hand was back in Jughead’s hair, pulling his head back again - its grip more harsh and excruciating than before. 

“I’m sorry - Did you say something?” Trent whispered threateningly. Jughead’s heart started to hammer in his chest and he gritted his teeth when he felt the cold barrel of a gun press against the underside of his chin. He didn’t, couldn’t say anything, as his throat worked extra hard to swallow around the lump in his throat. 

“I didn’t think so,” Trent finished, his voice even and intense as he pried the terror out of Jughead, “Let him go, I think he gets the point now.”

When Jughead lowered his now throbbing head, Trent was back in his seat, the gun resting casually on his thigh. An villainous smile twitched on his lips as he reveled in the power he had over his prisoner. He was more than ready to continue his game, a game that Jughead was losing. 

“Now that I have you’re attention, let’s talk shall we?” 

Balancing the gun on his thigh, Trent pulled a box of cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one. He took a long drag from it and purposely exhaled the smoke in Jughead’s face, making him cringe away from the unpleasant fumes. 

“You know, I almost feel obligated to congratulate you and your little Serpent buddies for winning back your territory,” he said, pulling up his leg so that he could rest his arm on his knee, his other hand resting on his gun, “And normally I would, but if there is one thing I hate more than anything else it’s being tricked into losing,” He exhaled another breath of smoke into the darkness, his steely eyes fixed on Jughead, the anger in them clear and present. “Which, unfortunately, is very bad for you.” 

Jughead clenched his jaw and his body went rigid with fear. Not to long ago, he believed that the danger had passed. That he was finally safe. That he would soon be back in Riverdale, that he would be back with Betty, but reality had set in now and all of that seemed like a foolish dream. The Ghoulies have him and there was no gang, no Keller, no plan that could save or protect him now. 

~~~

Betty sat in Archie’s living room patiently waiting for a knock on the door or the sound of a cars engine. 

She still couldn’t believe that after a week of being away, Jughead was finally coming home. She had missed him so much that it almost brought her to tears whenever she heard his voice or received a text from him, but the plan and everything thereafter had gone accordingly. The Ghoulies were out of Riverdale and Jughead wasn’t a target anymore, which was all Betty cared about right now. 

She shifted nervously on the couch and checked the time on her phone once again. 

“Relax B, I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” Veronica said, clearly amused by her friends frantic behavior. Betty sighed apologetically. 

“Sorry guys, I’m just really -“ 

“- Happy? excited? overjoyed? and any other synonym you can think of?” Archie offered, chuckling as he pulled Veronica closer. The raven haired girl smiled at the action and happily nestled herself into his side. 

“Leave her be Archiekins! After all Jughead is the blue to her gold. She’s clearly lost without him ... unmoored and set adrift without a brooding anchor to hold her down ... .” 

“Okay, okay ...” Betty laughed, taking their playful pries on the chin. Even she could admit that she had been more than a little extra over the last week and was being over the top now. Sure it was past the time that Jughead had estimated that they would be home, but that didn’t mean anything, did it? It’s not like he was in any kind of trouble. She stopped herself before her mind went there. No, she decided firmly and with a smile - he would be home soon. 

~~~ 

Jughead gasped painfully, his body and still tender ribs aching from the punch he had taken to abdomen only moments ago. Keeping his eyes shut, he took several short, choking breaths before lifting his tired eyes up to Trent who was crouching down in front of him, the gun hanging idly from his fingers. Once again, Jughead kicked himself mentally for going to the Westside, for taking a risk that had consequently landed him here, in a place where he had no control - where his life could be left hanging in the balance. 

“Are you going to kill me?” he asked his tormentor weakly. 

“I was thinking about it. I mean, I should kill you after everything you’ve done” Trent admitted, his lips pulling into a slightly sadistic smile, “But then I asked myself; what would killing you actually get me? Another war? Another headache I don’t need?” 

“But why would you do that? Why would you spare me? You certainly didn’t give Emma Monroe the same courtesy!” Jughead spat. He was rewarded with another bruising punch to gut seconds later. 

“That’s enough Dimitri!” Trent barked. He shifted his tense eyes back to Jughead once again. “You think I killed that girl?” he asked, clearly confused by the accusation but also intrigued by it. 

“I know you did. I know you had her killed, because she found something she wasn’t supposed to find.”

“Is that so?” Trent smiled, somewhat entertained by the apparently bogus theory. 

“What?” Jughead laughed harshly, “You expect me to believe that you had nothing to do with her murder?” 

“Well yes actually, because I didn’t.” Trent said simply. 

“Yeah, I’m sure you didn’t!” Jughead snorted in reply. He was pushing Trent now, trying to illicit a reaction out of him. 

“Believe whatever you want Jones, makes no difference to me.” Trent shrugged in response. 

Jughead frowned and his narrowed eyes studied the man before him, searching for any sign or implication that he was hiding something and it perplexed Jughead beyond reason when there was none. 

“Well, if you didn’t kill her and you don’t care about what she found, then why am I here? Why did you target me?” 

Trent stood up then, casting his stern and intimating shadow over his captive. 

“You are here Jughead Jones, because you got one of my guys arrested and started a war that didn’t need to be started, one which cost me a valuable piece of territory. You simply disrupted the delicate balance of things. Nothing more, nothing less.” 

Before Jughead could say anything else, Trent sauntered over to the far end of the dim, windowless room, leaving him alone to breathe, to think. Not only was he in big trouble, but his murder theory had seemingly been shot to hell. 

Trent’s words sat in his mind, manifesting doubt after doubt. Sure, he couldn’t trust the word of a Ghoulie, but Jughead also couldn’t ignore the genuinely puzzled look Trent had on his face when Emma Monroe’s name and murder had been mentioned. It wasn’t enough to clear the Ghoulies name, but it was enough to make Jughead feel uncertain about some things. He had new questions and no answers and he honestly had no idea how any of this was going to end. 

To ease his doubts and to distract himself, Jughead thought of Betty again. She was only thing keeping him together at this point. Every time an ounce of pain or hopelessness was thrust upon him, he would quickly mask it with her endearing, faultless memory. He thought of her and only her, until she made him numb to everything else. He wanted, needed and had to get back to her. That was his only goal now. His only concern. 

A sharp smack on the side of his head brought Jughead back to reality suddenly. Trent was in front of him again only now his hands held a file instead of a gun. For some reason, that didn’t comfort Jughead in the slightest. 

Trent twirled the file mindlessly in his hands for a moment, his dark eyes watching with amusement as Jughead twisted with grim anticipation. 

“Do you know what this is?” he asked eventually. Jughead shook his head. He honestly had no idea and he wasn’t about to guess either. 

“It’s a guarantee,” Trent explained coolly, “A guarantee that you’ll do as I ask.” He pulled the contents from the file and showed Jughead the first page. 

Jughead’s throat constricted and his hands clenched into painful fists behind his back as he stared at photographs of Archie and Fred on their front porch, then of his mother and Jellybean somewhere in Toledo, of his father in a prison yard and finally of Veronica and Betty leaving Riverdale High together. 

“I can get to these people Jughead, as easily as you and I are breathing right now.” Trent stated quietly. He dropped each photo to floor so that they lay at Jughead’s feet, but held up the last one, pointing a finger specifically at Betty. 

“She’s important to you.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement, one which made Jughead cold with terror. “If you ever stumble into our crosshairs again - I’ll go after her first and then I’ll come for the rest. Do you understand?”

Momentarily paralyzed by the threat, Jughead didn’t say anything until Dimitri gripped his hair forcing an answer out of him. 

“I - I understand!” Jughead gasped painfully. 

“Good! I’m glad we’re on the same page now.” Trent said, smiling wickedly. 

He inclined his head slightly and within a matter of seconds, the ropes around Jughead were gone and he was being hauled from his chair. He struggled frantically against the strong hands that gripped him until the rough fabric of a cloth covered his face, causing the fight inside him to die and his mind to slip into unconsciousness once again. 

~~~ 

Betty didn’t want to worry, but as the hands on the clock moved farther and farther away from the time Jughead said he would be home, she couldn’t quell the discomfort that was starting to build inside of her. Out of desperation, she dialed Jughead’s phone again and to her dismay, it went straight to voicemail - again. 

Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. They should be home by now. They should be here. They were supposed to be safe. 

This time, Betty failed to stop the tears as they spilled from her eyes or the anxiety as it prickled it’s way to the surface and started to spread. Almost in the nick of time, she felt Veronica move closer to her and was more than grateful when her friends comforting arms wrapped around her. 

Archie came out of the kitchen then looking more than just slightly annoyed. Despite their teasing earlier, both of her friends believed Betty had every right to be anxious now. 

“What did they say?” Veronica asked him immediately. 

“What do you think they said!” Archie huffed, “They basically told me to wait in here like a good boy until they have something to tell us.” 

“Seriously? Is someone at least trying to contact Keller?” Veronica seethed, tightening her arms around her broken best friend. 

“Yeah, Mrs Cooper’s trying but - .” Archie focused his sad eyes on Betty and watched as she crumpled into Veronica even more. He decided to leave the conversation there. 

30 minutes passed before they finally heard something, and naturally it was Alice Cooper who delivered the news with Fred Andrews standing nearby for ‘support’. 

The only part that piqued Betty’s interest was the last thing her mother said. 

“- Keller was attacked at the safe house early this morning. He’s alright, but when he came to he discovered that Jughead had been taken.” 

Alice’s words hung in the air and for a brief moment an eerie silence filled the room until Archie finally spoke up. 

“No!” he said furiously, almost in disbelief, “How is that even possible? How did the know where to look?” 

“We - we’re not sure Arch. We don’t know much at this point except what has already happened. But Keller is working with the Greendale Police department and they’re doing everything they possibly can to find him. It’s just a matter of waiting now.” Fred explained calmly. 

“Come on, there has to be something more we can do!” Veronica insisted, but her determination was quickly squashed by a stern glare from Betty’s mom. 

“Don’t even think about it!” Alice warned, “The only thing the three of you will do is stay out of the way while qualified people do their jobs. I don’t want any you to get more involved in this than you already are!” 

Betty remained silent. She had stopped listening to the conversation a while ago and her body had paralyzed with dread the second she heard that Jughead had been taken. Deep down, she knew that something had happened to him and now that it was a reality, she could hardly breathe, let alone think. 

It was only when Veronica’s arms disappeared and she suddenly felt Archie sit down beside her that Betty snapped back to reality. She quickly took notice of the red heads warm hand on her shoulder and her eyes just managed to see Veronica walk into the next room, triggering her body to reset. 

“Where is she going?” Betty asked, her voice groggy and weak from crying. 

“She’s talking to Kevin,” Archie explained quietly, “Screw what your mother said Betty, were going to look for Jughead as well!” 

 

Veronica held Betty’s hand as Archie drove his truck over the train tracks and into the Southside. 

Slipping out of the house had been relatively easy, especially since Betty didn’t care if she got caught, because even if she was, she would end up exactly where she is now - just slightly delayed. 

Keeping her eyes fixed on the dreary scenery outside, she listened idly as Veronica told Archie about her conversation with Kevin, who had promised to let them know if he found anything. Betty sighed against the cold, rain speckled glass as the words that filled the trucks cab floated over her head. She was beyond the point of worrying, even beyond the point of crying now. All she cared about was finding Jughead. 

When Archie came to a stop on the opposite side of the street from The Snake Pit, the leather jacket in Betty’s lap suddenly felt very heavy. She wasn’t sure if her idea would actually work, but if anyone could help find Jughead, it was the Serpents. 

“Are you sure about this Betty?” Archie said quietly. He tore his eyes away from the clubhouse and looked at her questionably. So did Veronica. 

“We’ve already discussed this guys,” Betty reminded them, “Besides, Dom deserves to know what happened to Jughead and I’m pretty sure he’ll be able to help as well.” 

“Maybe,” Veronica agreed, “But how do we know we can even trust him or any of these people?” 

“We don’t,” Betty said flatly, “But Jughead trusts Dom and that’s good enough for me.”

“I guess, but you don’t even know what this Dom guy looks like.” Archie pressed. 

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll figure it out. Just stay here until I tell you it’s safe.”

Betty gave them both a fleeting smile and left the truck before they could argue with her further. 

 

Betty ignored the gawking eyes and curious glances she got as she walked across the parking lot towards The Snake Pit’s entrance. There were more Serpents around than the last time she was here with Jughead which made her feel a little self conscious. She kept her head down and pulled his Serpent jacket around her body so that it hugged her tightly. She wasn’t here to cause trouble and she hoped people saw it that way. 

Betty held her breath as she approached the door and the intimidating bouncer guarding it. She kept walking and was beyond relieved that he didn’t stop her from entering the clubhouse. 

The atmosphere inside was a lot more carefree and energetic than it was the last time as well. Clearly the Serpents were celebrating their win, all of them completely unaware of the price it required in return. Working quickly, Betty scanned over the jovial crowd until she spotted Johnny standing with, but not really talking to a girl near the bar. Johnny saw her as well and hurried to meet her half way. 

“Betty, what are you doing here?” he asked, clearly astonished to see her, “Where’s Jughead?” 

Betty’s stumbled for a moment, feeling her heart tug in her chest at the mention of his name, but she quickly brushed it off. She didn’t have time to break down right now. 

“That’s - that’s why I’m here, Jughead’s been kidnapped.” 

“What? when?” Shell shocked, Johnny quickly pulled her away from the noise. 

“It happened sometime this morning - look we don’t have a lot of time, I just need to talk to Dom or something.” 

“Okay,” he said, having realized the urgency of the situation, “I’ll talk to him, just wait here alright?” 

Without uttering another word, Johnny shoved his way through the raucous crowd of Serpents and made his way to a flight of stairs near the back of clubhouse.

Standing off to the side, Betty did her best to avoid drawing attention to herself and while she succeeded with that, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from intensifying. She clutched the worn leather of Jughead’s jacket and fought back the urge to cry when she inevitably started to think of him. She couldn’t let her anxiety win. Not now. Not when she needed to be strong. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out immediately. 

V: Everything alright?

Betty sighed. She could picture Archie and Veronica in the truck pulling their hair out with worry. 

B: For now - Will let you know if anything changes.

V: Okay, keep us posted. 

Betty smiled slightly, thankful that she had her friends nearby for support. It would be a lot harder if she didn’t. She sighed and was about to put her phone away when she felt an unexpected hand on her shoulder causing her to jump violently. 

“Whoa Betty, it’s just me!” Johnny said, gently grabbing her shoulders to steady her, “It’s just me.” 

Betty exhaled heavily and looked at him with wide, startled eyes. “Sorry Johnny, I -“ 

“- Don’t,” he said softly, smiling at her as if to say; It was alright, “I spoke to Dom. He’s going to rally up the gang to look for Jughead as we speak. We’re going to find him Betty.” he promised her.

Betty simply nodded, trying to believe the promise. Despite all the reassurances her eyes pricked with tears again. She didn’t want to spend anymore time waiting. She missed Jughead. So much that it physically hurt to think about it and she prayed that this nightmare would be over soon. 

“I’m coming with you.” she said firmly. Johnny opened his mouth to argue, but quickly closed it when Betty gave him a look not to. She didn’t want to sit on some couch and wait. She wanted and needed to have some control and comfort. Now more than ever. 

Just then, a tall man with long grey hair - who Betty assumed was Dom - gave the order for all the Serpents to search the surroundings areas and towns for Jughead. 

The entire gang mobilized quickly, splitting up into small groups and heading out in different directions. Betty and Johnny found Archie and Veronica amongst the chaos outside and after filling them in on the plan, the four of them hopped into Archie’s truck and sped off towards Greendale. 

After a couple of hours, their search effort had yielded no results and Betty was starting to lose hope. She had been trying to suppress the darkness, to push the her worst fears out of her mind, but as the day turned into dusk, she wondered if her thoughts were in fact a reality. No, she couldn’t think like that. Not yet anyway. 

Archie and Johnny appeared then, looking just as downtrodden as Betty felt. They hadn’t found anything. She didn’t need them to tell her something she already knew. So Veronica asked instead.

“Anything?” 

Archie and Johnny both shook their heads, sadness and sympathy clear in their eyes. The four of them had searched the entire town top to bottom as well as the surrounding forest with nothing to show for it.

“Well, he’s definitely not in Greendale,” Archie mumbled dejectedly, “I just don’t understand how they found him. I mean how did they even know about the safe house? Or it’s location?” 

Archie’s question broke Betty’s train of thought, mostly because it was a very, very good question. How would anyone know about the safe house or that Jughead and Keller were there unless ... and then it hit Betty right between the eyes. 

“The mole.” she whispered so quietly she didn’t think anyone had heard her. 

“The mole?” Veronica repeated with a frown. She glanced at Archie who looked just as confused. 

“Yes,” Betty breathed, “Before all of this Jughead and I found out that the Serpents had a mole and -“ Betty stopped when her eyes drifted to Johnny who was talking to someone on the phone. Seeing him now made something snapped inside her and before she knew what she was doing, she was headed towards him. 

Johnny barely had any time to turn around and blink before her fist smashed into his face. He collapsed to the floor and looked up at her dazed and clearly shocked. 

“Betty? What the -“ But he was silenced when Betty tried to lung at him again only this time Archie caught her before she could. 

“You lied!” Betty yelled, struggling frantically against Archie’s arms, “You told me - TOLD JUGHEAD - that you’d caught the mole! That you knew who it was!”

Johnny was perplexed by her anger for a moment until he understood what she was saying. 

“I thought we had,” he said, rubbing his jaw gingerly as he stood up, “We never would’ve executed the plan if we hadn’t!” 

“Well obviously you haven’t, how else would anyone know where Jughead and Keller were.” Veronica pointed out quietly. She walked over to Archie who was holding Betty while she cried and didn’t resist when he pulled her into the hug as well. 

“I- I - I didn’t - I thought ...” Johnny muttered to himself. He sank to the floor again, riddled with guilt and horrified by the situation. By his mistake. 

Betty held onto her two friends for dear life. She couldn’t breathe or think about anything except what had just transpired. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t be true. It can’t be true! She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, but didn’t reach for it until curiosity finally got the better of her. 

Betty’s heart almost stopped when she saw Jughead’s name on the screen and then it stopped all together when she read the message. 

Check the train tracks near the Southside. 

It read.


	17. Blackmail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait guys! I didn’t have power for a week and I may or may not have broken my pinkie at some point. Anyway, here’s the new chapter and I hope you enjoy it!! Xx

The second Archie's truck came to a stop, Betty immediately opened the door and started running. 

As she ran, she heard the gravel along the train tracks crunch behind her and she knew, without looking back, that Veronica was following after her. She guessed that Archie and Johnny had gone in the opposite direction just in case Jughead was further down the line. 

She ignored the thumping in her ears and her body in general as it shook with a mixture of fear and exhaustion. She wasn't going to stop. Not until she saw him again. Not until she found him. 

They ran for a while longer until Betty finally spotted a black shape faintly outlined by the dying light lying near the tracks. She skidded on the stones and crumpled to her knees as soon as she reached Jughead, her hands gripping him firmly as she turned him over so that he was lying on his back. So that she could see him. 

"Jughead - - Juggie wake up!" she begged, placing her hands on his face as she shook him gently. When he didn't stir, she panicked and quickly moved her fingers down to his neck, pressing until she felt the steady pulse beneath his skin. He was still alive. Veronica dropped down beside her then, looking just as tired and anxious as she was. 

"Is he alright?" she asked breathlessly.

"I think - I - I don't know. Call Archie and tell him to bring his truck here." Betty said quickly. She kept her eyes focused solely on Jughead as Veronica pulled out her phone and dialed the red heads number. 

When Archie and Johnny arrived a few minutes later the first thing they saw was Betty and Veronica crouching down beside an unconscious Jughead. 

Veronica scrambled to her feet as soon as the truck pulled up. She tried to coax her best friend into standing up as well, but Betty refused to move until Archie and Johnny carefully lifted Jughead into the trucks bed. She climbed into the back as well and settled down beside him as Archie drove back the way they had come. She caressed Jughead's face softly and held his hand the entire time, reminding herself that he was really here. That she had found him and that he was finally safe. 

Tears of relief pricked her eyes and she smiled, drawing every ounce of comfort she could in knowing that the nightmare was finally over. 

~~~

When Jughead opened his eyes again  it took him a moment to realize where he was. 

It was quiet and dark and much like before his head was throbbing painfully. He shifted slightly and was surprised when he felt himself sink into the soft mattress beneath him. He sat up then and willed the obvious pain in his body and the nausea he felt in the pit of his stomach to go away and, to his surprise, it slowly did. He barely had a chance to fully adjust his eyes to Archie's bedroom before the door opened and Betty stepped into view. 

She didn't say anything when she saw him. She only breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door and stepped towards his bed. Jughead watched her in disbelief, thinking that this had to be a dream, given that she had been nowhere near him the last time he'd been awake. 

"Hey." she said softly, her lips pulling into a warm smile as she dropped down beside him. Jughead only smiled in response, a part of him still reluctant to believe that this was actually real. He had to ease his doubts. 

With a shaky hand he slowly reached out and touched her face, his thumb running over the warm, smooth skin on her cheek. He took a moment to look at her. To really look at her and drink her in. When Betty lifted her hand up to cover his and leaned into his touch, Jughead decided right then and there that the moment was far too surreal. He wondered when the other shoe would drop and he would wake up to the eyes of his tormentors watching him again. 

"Juggie?" she said quietly. Her green eyes were watching him, searching his blue ones carefully. 

But Jughead didn't say anything as he slipped his arms around her and pulled her close, bathing himself in everything that was purely her. 

He sobbed quietly, because she was real - in every sense of the word - and that was all that mattered. 

 

The following morning, Jughead sighed and rolled his eyes as he listened to Archie and Veronica frivolously argue about what to make him for breakfast. 

After suffering through about twenty minutes of mind numbing hunger and the unrelenting discussion, Jughead announced that he was perfectly capable of making his own breakfast and stood up to do so, only to be pushed him back into his chair by Veronica who 'Shhh-ed' away his comment immediately. He scowled at them. At this point, he honestly didn't care what they made him as long as it was food.

Being stuck in this situation made him wish that Betty was here to keep him company, but he and Alice Cooper had both insisted on her going to visit Polly who had finally given birth to twins a couple of nights ago. No matter how much Betty had protested and he had wanted her to stay, he wouldn't let her.

Now though he wished he hadn't sent her away. 

He let himself think about what it would be like to have her here, in the seat beside him. He could picture them rolling their eyes together, smirking and chuckling as a silent conversation which only the two of them could understand passed between them. He smiled, knowing that he would be more than satisfied with that arrangement - that or  a good pair of ear plugs would work just as well. 

When he heard Veronica launch into a passionate speech about the health benefits of poached eggs vs French toast, Jughead allowed his mind to shut off and happily slip into the fresh memory from the night before. 

*

When he woke up again, he wasn't at all surprised when he found Betty nestled into his side, her head safely tucked into the crook of his neck. The alleviation he felt knowing that he wasn't dreaming, that she was actually lying beside him in his arms and in the comfort of Archie's room made the nightmare he had just gone through seem like a faded and distant memory. Of course, that wasn't entirely true. He had been kidnapped, beaten and threatened by a vicious gang of criminals - an unfortunate ripple effect caused by his relentless sleuthing. 

And while the whole encounter had been utterly terrifying, there were only two major outcomes that stood out from the rest, and no matter how hard Jughead tried, he couldn't stop them from creeping back into his mind. 

The first was the hard-to-believe revelation that the Ghoulies had nothing to do with Emma Monroe's death and the second was the promise. The promise that Trent Wilder would come for the people Jughead loved the most if he ever disrupted the Ghoulies again. 

Naturally, this left Jughead at a bit of a crossroads, mostly because he had no idea what to do with the cards he had been dealt. Could he really trust the word of a Ghoulie? Should he risk continuing his investigation at the possible expense of others? At the expense of Betty? 

No. 

Mere hours ago he had been on the very edge of losing her forever and he shivered violently at the thought. 

"Jug?" Betty said as she stirred beside him, her voice still thick with sleep. Jughead moved so that he was facing her a little more. 

"I'm alright," he said quietly, "Go back to sleep." 

"Are you sure?" she mumbled.

He pressed his lips to her forehead and chuckled at how concerned she was even though she was still half asleep.

"I'm sure." he promised. She nodded weakly and snuggled back into his side, allowing sleep to claim her once again. 

*

"Jughead!" Veronica snapped, clicking her fingers in front of his face impatiently. 

Jughead shook the memory temporarily from his head and scowled at her. 

"What?" he sighed. 

"For the third time, do you like your eggs soft, medium or hard?"  

Jughead smirked at the question. Of course Veronica won the argument - she always did. 

He gave her his preference and as Archie and Veronica finally set about making his breakfast it suddenly dawned on him that he almost lost all of this as well - that he almost lost them - and he realized now just how much he would've missed moments like these if he had. 

~~~  
A few days later ...

Jughead exhaled heavily as he leaned forward and paused the movie playing on his laptop.

"Juggie, whats wrong?" he heard Betty say behind him. Jughead closed his laptop and leaned back to look at her curiously.

"That's what I want to know, you picked this movie and you've hardly watched any of it since it started. What's wrong Betts?" 

He could tell that there was something on Betty's mind. She had been unusually quiet over the last few days and she kept giving him nervous, sideways glances, which were always a good indication that something was  bothering her. 

Betty initially frowned at the question, but then she sighed allowing the ruse she had been hiding behind for the last hour to disappear when she looked at Jughead again.

"Kevin called me when I was visiting Polly last night." 

Jughead nodded and silently started to prepare himself. He already knew where this conversation was going.

"Oh yeah? What did he want?" 

Betty shifted beside him on Archie's couch and clasped her hands together tightly, almost nervously. 

"Well, he had some really interesting information connecting to Emma's ..." she trailed off when she saw Jughead clench his jaw slightly. She didn't want to bring this up now, but Jughead had basically seen right through her facade which technically meant she couldn't suppress it any longer. 

"I didn't want to bring this up right now and I know it's a bit too soon to be talking about this given everything that's happened recently-" 

"- Betty ..." Jughead interrupted her quietly. She paused to look at him, clearly puzzled.

"What Jug? What is it?" she asked, her eyes watching him with mild concern. 

Jughead kept his eyes averted. He had told Betty everything about his encounter with the Ghoulies. How they had threatened everyone he cared about and how he couldn't afford to risk things or bare the outcomes should they ever happen. He hadn't specifically told Betty that he wanted to stop investigating Emma's murder though. That was a conversation he hoped to have later. 

"You know what it is..." Jughead eventually whispered. He heard Betty sigh softly and felt her nudge closer to him. 

"Jug ..." she said, running her hand over his back gently, "You know that threat only stands if we disrupt the Ghoulies again, right? Besides you said they might not be involved anymore." 

"But what if they are Betty?" he said, turning slightly so that he was facing her a little more. So that she could see the desperation in his eyes, "I'm pretty sure when the leader of a ruthless gang threatens you, you should listen to him." 

"I know," Betty said, her voice quiet and understanding. His eyes were back on the floor so she brought her hands up to his face and forced him to look at her, "But I also know you Jug. You won't be able to just walk away and let this go and quite frankly neither will I." 

Jughead didn't say anything. He knew that Betty was right. It would be very hard to walk away after investing so much time into solving this case, but then he thought about how it would be even more difficult to live with the promised consequences if their actions backfired again. 

He closed his eyes and brought one fo his hands up to hers, entwining their fingers. 

"I'm just trying to keep you safe ..." 

He felt Betty move slightly until her forehead rested against his. 

"I know you are and I understand why you're scared Jug - I am too, but I promise, if we do this and we find anything relating to the Ghoulies, we'll take it to Keller immediately and we'll leave it alone, Okay?" 

Jughead sighed. He knew it probably wasn't a good idea to agree to Betty's proposal, but she also had a very valid point. As long as they stayed away from The Ghoulies there wasn't any harm in bringing Emma's murderer to justice or at least helping to do so. Technically there was no reason for him not to agree. So despite his better judgement, he slowly nodded his head. 

"Okay." he whispered. 

Jughead kept his eyes closed and only opened them again after Betty's lips had gently settled over his. 

"And you say I'm far to convincing for my own good?" he accused playfully. Betty giggled. 

"Well I did learn from the best." she quipped, smiling as Jughead pulled her closed and kissed her throughly. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, chuckling lightly against her lips. When Jughead pulled back, he smiled at her warmly, knowing full well that he never could have refused her even if he tried. 

"So what did Kevin have to say?" he asked. Betty's daydream eyes lit up at the question. Clearly it was interesting and Jughead was glad she didn't beat around the bush and went straight into the important details. 

"Okay, so you remember that Serpent from the night of the talent show? The one you fought with?" Jughead nodded, frowning briefly at the memory. It wasn't something he was terribly proud of. "Well, Keller caught him snooping around your dad's trailer last night and found signs that he was possibly trying to break in." 

Jughead's brow furrowed again, but for a completely different reason this time. He knew Levi had a chip on his shoulder, but he didn't think it was such a large one.

"Why would he -" but Jughead froze mid-sentence when a sudden, but obvious realization filtered into his mind. 

"What?" Betty pressed eagerly. 

"The USB, the one with all of Emma's research on it. I locked it away in the strongbox under my dad's bed before I went away with Keller." 

Betty raised her eyebrows as she quickly pieced together exactly what Jughead was hinting at. 

"So you think that's why he was there?"

Jughead shifted his steady focus from the floor to Betty, his eyes serious and doubtless.

"Exactly Betts, that's exactly why he was there." he said. 

~~~ 

A loud, painful crunch shattered the silence as Johnny's fist slammed into Levi's nose. 

With his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his Serpent jacket, Jughead didn't flinch as he watched his 'fellow Serpent' crumple to the ground, coughing and wheezing as he clutched his bleeding nose in agony, but Levi's pain filled gasps barely had a chance to reverberate off the walls of the empty warehouse before Archie hauled him to his feet again.

Jughead's steely expression only faltered when he saw his best friend shove Levi into a nearby chair. Normally he would never involve Archie in anything like this, but given that the only Serpents he could trust right now were Dom and Johnny, he really didn't have much of a choice. 

When his phone finally rang and Jughead saw that it was Betty, he held up his hand, signaling for Archie and Johnny to keep Levi quiet. 

"Hey, did you find it?"

"Yes, it was exactly where you said it would be. In the strongbox under your dad's bed." Betty said and Jughead sighed when he heard the muffled sounds of a metallic box being closed and locked in the background. 

"Okay good," he said, his voice filled with relief, "Get it somewhere safe and call me when you do, okay?"

"I will, just be careful Juggie." 

"I'll do my best." he promised her and after a brief, but sincere goodbye he ended the call. 

Jughead sighed as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. He had made that promise before, he just hoped that he could keep it this time. 

When he turned around again, Jughead's eyes immediately fell on Levi, weakly slumped in a chair with fresh blood from his broken nose running over his lips, chin and neck to where it soaked into his t-shirt. 

Seeing Levi like that should've made Jughead reconsider the ethics of what he was doing, but sometimes the only conversation a Southside boy truly understood came in the form of a good beating. 

"I don't think you'll have any problems getting him to talk." Johnny said quietly. Jughead nodded. 

"Thanks for all your help Johnny, just do me favour and get Archie somewhere safe. I've got this." 

Johnny nodded as he rubbed his tender knuckles.

"It's the least I can do and ... please apologize to Betty for me again." 

Jughead nodded again this time wearing a smirk. He'd heard all about the punch and found it more than slightly amusing that a tough Serpent like Johnny had gone down after taking one punch from 'the perfect girl next door'. 

After saying goodbye to Johnny and a reluctant Archie, Jughead took a deep breath and glanced at Levi, wondering how he should tackle this conversation. 

He wasn't in the business of beating people half to death just for a scrap of information. So he decided to use words to make Levi talk instead. He would get what he wanted, even if it took him all night.

Jughead smiled slightly and stepped closer, letting the tension stew for a while before he spoke. 

"Why were you trying to break into my dad's trailer?" 

It was a simple question - one that Jughead already knew the answer to, even so, he wanted to know the motive behind it as well. 

Levi looked up at him and for a moment it looked like he wanted to fight, to resist the urge to say anything, but the spirit inside him had already been broken. 

"I had to find something ... a USB drive." Levi eventually managed to say around the blood in his mouth. 

"Why?" Jughead demanded, his voice stern, but fair. Levi simply shrugged. 

"Someone wanted the information on it ... I generally don't ask to many questions and I'm not supposed to." 

Jughead frowned, confused but also intrigued by the response. 

"So what, someone paid you to get it?"

He had to admit, he had a hard time believing that someone like Levi would do something like this for any other reason than to make a quick buck.

Levi straightened up a little and spat some blood onto the floor. 

"If blackmail is a form of currency, then yeah, someone paid me to do it." he said sarcastically. Jughead raised his eyes brows. That was definitely a surprise, mostly because he knew that only a handful of people could blackmail a fully fledged Serpent and actually get away with it. 

"Why are you being blackmailed?" Jughead asked after a while.

Again Levi just shrugged and allowed a soft chuckled to escape from his bruised lips. 

"I don't know Jughead, maybe because I went to the wrong people for help? Or maybe it's because I wanted to make sure my little sister had a chance at a better life. One away from the Serpents and the Southside? All I know is that if I didn't do what what was asked of me, she would be dead right now." 

Jughead took a moment to process everything. To process the man sitting in front of him. He never thought in a million years he would ever be able to relate to someone like Levi or look at him with any form of sympathy and yet here he was, relating and feeling sympathetic. 

"So, that night at the talent show ..."

Levi sighed heavily. 

"I was told to keep an eye on you, that Cooper girl and Johnny, don't bother asking me why because I don't know." 

But Jughead didn't have to ask, he already knew the answer to that question as well. It was clear now, that who ever was blackmailing Levi was also connected to Emma Monroe's murder or worse was the reason and cause behind her untimely death. It was the best lead they had uncovered thus far and better yet, it offered an excellent opportunity to find out who Riverdale's Shadow really was. 

"How does your blackmailer contact you?" Jughead asked suddenly.

Levi lifted his tired, angry eyes up to him and narrowed them suspiciously.

"Mostly through phone calls. Why?" 

Jughead ignored the question as his mind started to race with new thoughts and ideas. Already a potential plan had started to take shape in his mind.

"Are you allowed to make contact?"  He asked.

"Sure - I mean I'm not really supposed to, but I can if I really have to." Levi explained. His facial expression turned cautious when he saw Jughead smile, "Why the hell would you want to know that Jones?" 

Jughead smirked and, to Levi's surprise, he held out his hand and helped him to his feet. 

"Because Levi, I need you make a call."


	18. Shell Shocked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two chapters left and things go a little pear-shaped in this one. Hope you enjoy Xx

Levi held the wad of paper towel Jughead had given him against his nose, looking decidedly unconvinced. 

“I’m telling you that plan will never work.” he said with a slight shake of his head.

“Okay,” Jughead said, drawing out the word on purpose, “Why won’t it work?” he asked, racking over the details again, trying to find the problem himself. 

In hindsight his plan was an incredibly simple. They would arrange for Levi to meet his blackmailer at a specific place and when their suspect showed up, the cops would be waiting to arrest him. With all the data on the USB and Levi’s statement, it would be more than enough for be Police to make a case. Jughead frowned. It didn’t seem ridiculous or faulted, but the amused look on Levi’s face told him a different story. 

“Well for starters, I’m pretty sure he’s not that stupid and secondly; I’m not exactly in a position to be dictating things.” 

“But you are,” Jughead pointed out, “Think about it, whoever is blackmailing you will do just about anything to get their hands on that USB.” 

Jughead was reaching now. Trying his absolute best to argue his point, to persuade Levi, but the Serpent shook his head defiantly, still not convinced. 

“Trust me Jones, it won’t work.” 

“Well what do you proposed we do then?” Jughead demanded, his tone mixed with sarcasm and frustration. 

Levi dabbed at his tender nose a few more times before throwing the blood soaked paper towel over his shoulder so that it landed in an empty corner of the warehouse. He pondered the question for a while before he finally made a decision. 

“I’ll meet with him ... in person and hand over a fake USB while you watch from a distance and tape the exchange as proof.” 

Jughead felt his jaw drop for a moment and then he frowned. He honestly couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Not only was Levi willing to meet a potential murderer without any protection, but his decision to hand over a fake USB really bumped up the risk factor. How was this a better plan? 

“Tell me how you think that plan is better?” he asked in disbelief. 

“Look, I know it sounds crazy -“ 

“Forget crazy Levi,” Jughead interrupted, “This is borderline dangerous! I mean you do realize how wrong this could go right?” 

“Of course I do,” Levi snapped, “But its our best option if you truly want to end this!” 

Jughead shook his head and closed his eyes. He didn’t like Levi’s plan one bit, but unfortunately he had raised a very valid point - one he hadn’t considered and couldn’t ignore now. 

Given how cunning and careful their suspect had proven to be, it is highly unlikely that he would fall for such a risky arrangement, especially one that could easily get him caught. Jughead ran his hand over his face roughly, almost as if he were frustrated, because the more he thought about Levi’s plan, the more it made sense to him. Sort of. It still bothered him immensely that they couldn’t involve the police without taking up to much time or giving themselves away. 

“Are you sure about this?” Jughead said after a while. 

“Wouldn’t have pitched it if I wasn’t,” Levi amitted, “I know the risks Jones and I’m willing to take them if it means ending this.” 

Jughead shook his head. He really, really didn’t like this and Levi gave him a look that clearly said he could tell, but maybe, just maybe this was the best way rid Riverdale of its allusive shadow. Even if it was as crazy as it sounded. 

“Alright,” Jughead said firmly, “Make the call.” 

~~~

It was almost an hour later when they reached the edge of the dark woods bordering the Westside of Riverdale. 

Jughead pulled out his phone and toyed with the idea of calling Betty again. He wanted to call her and tell her everything, but apart of him - a much larger part of him - knew that, for once, it would be safer to keep her at a distance and in the dark. Just this once.

Levi lingered on the tree line, scanning over the ruined and forgotten part of town before he turned his attention back to Jughead. 

“You see that pile of construction materials over there?” he asked, pointing it out. Jughead nodded as he looked past Levi, spotting the stacks of bricks and lumber easily. 

“You can watch and film the exchange from there,” he said, “I’ll have my phone in my pocket, recording the conversation.” 

Jughead nodded, keeping his expression as uniformed and as serious as possible. He couldn’t allow the discomfort he felt to take center stage right now. Levi checked his emotions as well, his stiff hands straightening his jacket with purpose. 

“You got the USB?” he asked. 

Jughead pulled out the one he had taken from his dad’s trailer and handed it over. 

“Thanks and remember whatever happens, make sure you get that recording to Keller, okay?”

Jughead inclined his head, but he couldn’t ignore the mild urgency in Levi’s voice. It immediately put him on edge. 

“I still think we should call Keller or maybe even Johnny, we shouldn’t be doing this alone Levi!” 

Levi sighed impatiently and gave him a hard, dangerous look.

“I told you already Jones, we don’t have time to do things the way we’re supposed to,” he said frustratedly, “Now if you want to be wuss, then be one and leave before you jeopardize the whole thing.” 

And with that Levi stepped towards one of the many gaps in trees, his strides filled with obvious intent. Jughead hesitated, wrestling with his thoughts. I want to end this- to do this he decided firmly before he left the safety of the tree line as well. 

There was no going back now. 

*

Jughead stayed hidden in the shadows, his eyes trained on Levi who was standing out in the open and at a distance. Even in the faint light coming from one of the safety lights, Jughead could tell that Levi was anxious which didn’t help to curb his own apprehension in the slightest. 

It was both scary and enthralling knowing that in the next few minutes the truth that he and Betty had been chasing for months would finally be revealed. Jughead shifted slightly and pulled out his phone, ready to do his part. He wouldn’t be close enough to hear the conversation, but that was just a formality. All he needed was the video evidence. Levi would take care of the rest. 

Soon this would be over he thought, his free hand gripping the dirt beneath him. 

A sudden flash of lightning and the low rumble of thunder that followed announced the arrival of a storm and it was only when Jughead felt the first drops of rain land on his head that he noticed the shift in Levi’s focus and demeanor. He immediately hit record. 

Levi’s attention was now fixed on the shadow of an unfinished building. He was talking and gesturing to someone in the darkness and Jughead strained his ears, wishing with baited breath that he could hear what was being said. Levi’s body language alone was intense and gripping to watch. 

“Just step forward,” Jughead mumbled desperately, “Just step into the light.” 

The wind picked up then and so did the rain which fell in persistent sheets that drenched him to the core. Keeping his phone steady he checked his surroundings briefly and looked back just in time to see the exchange. Jughead’s breath caught in his throat when he saw Levi step closer to the buildings shadow with his arm stretched out. 

This is it he thought. This is the moment that will change everything. 

And it was - but in more ways than one. 

When Jughead heard the gunshot crack through the air, he was looking over his shoulder again and simply thought that it was another roll of thunder until he looked back and saw Levi stumbling backwards, his hands clutching his chest as he crumpled to the ground. 

Jughead immediately went rigid, his body stunned into shock and disbelief - his heart pounding relentlessly in his chest. He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there. His body paralyzed. His ears ringing while his eyes stayed glued to the spot were Levi’s lifeless body now lay. This has to be a dream. It can’t be real.

Jughead gasped desperately, trying in vain to force some air into his lungs until a loud clap of thunder suddenly jolted him back to life and the full extent of what he had just witnessed became a terrifying reality.

The rain was hard and unrelenting now as the storm raged on around him. He panicked and without hesitation he ran as fast as he could through the rain, tripping over obstacles and slipping in the mud as Levi’s final words filtered through his mind. 

Whatever happens, just make sure you get that recording to Keller. 

~~~ 

Betty sighed heavily as she shifted restlessly on Archie’s couch. 

It was almost one o’clock in the morning and despite the fact that she was tired, she couldn’t sleep knowing that Jughead wasn’t here. He had sent her a text earlier that evening asking her not to wait up for him, but after everything that had happened recently with the Ghoulies, that wasn’t a request she could easily obey. 

Instead she busied herself with meaningless tasks and when that stopped working, she distracted herself further by cleaning up the lounge. 

Veronica had decided that movies and pizzas would be the perfect thing to divert Betty and Archie’s attention away from Jughead and while it did work, it only worked for a while - until the movies and pizza came to an end. 

After that a strange silence fell over them and it was clear that they were all thinking about Jughead - wondering where he was and if he was alright. Eventually Archie and Veronica went to bed, both of them insisting that Betty should use Jughead’s bed and get some as well - but she declined their offer politely in favour of waiting. 

She had just finished taking the pizza boxes through to the kitchen when her phone suddenly rang. Betty froze and then she moved, almost tripping over the coffee table as she dashed for the couch where her phone sat. She picked it up and answered the call without even looking to see who it was. 

“Hello” she said breathlessly. 

“Betty?” she heard a familiar voice say. She frowned. 

“Sheriff Keller?” Betty said, feeling her heart clinch ever so slightly in her chest, “What’s wrong?” 

“Well uh ... I’ve got Jughead at the station- don’t worry he’s not in any kind of trouble, but I need you to come down here as well. I’m sending a car round for you,” he explained calmly, “I’ll tell you everything when you get here.” 

Betty opened her mouth to say something, but the sight of a police car pulling up in front of her families home, distracted her long enough for Keller to end the call before she could. 

*

Sheriff Keller was waiting in the stations lobby when Betty burst through the door, looking extremely flustered. He intercepted her immediately. 

“What’s wrong? Where’s Jughead?” she asked quickly. 

“Close by - I’ll take you to see him in a minute, but first I want to talk to you about something.” 

“Of course.” Betty said. 

“Okay, so look when Jughead came in earlier he wouldn’t say much of anything except that he has some sort of video on his phone. You wouldn’t happen to know the code would you?” 

Betty shook her head explaining that she had always made a point of trusting Jughead enough to never need the code to unlock his phone. Keller pressed his lips together in a hard line, a little disappointed. 

“Sorry I can’t help,” Betty muttered, “But why don’t you just ask him for it?” 

“Already tried that,” Keller admitted, “But like I said, he’s not saying much of anything. Anyway let me take you to him, come on.” 

Keller led Betty towards the back of the station and to a room where she presumed Jughead was being kept. She was about to reach for the handle when he placed his hand on hers, stopping her. 

“I just want to warn you he’s a little shaken up, but maybe seeing you will help calm him down a little.” he said gently. 

Betty nodded somberly. 

“Do you know what happened to him?” she asked. Keller shook his head which made her heart twist a little bit. 

“I’m just going to make some calls,” he told her, “I’ll come and check on the two of you in a bit.” 

Betty nodded again and once Keller was gone, she turned her attention back to the door and opened it with an unsteady hand. 

Jughead was sitting in a chair, soaked to the bone and covered in mud. She noticed that he was trembling and thought for a moment that maybe he was cold, until the shell shocked expression on his face quickly told her otherwise. He looked like hell she thought brokenly. 

Jughead didn’t look at her when she walked towards him or when she pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him. It was only when she whispered her beloved nickname for him and touched his hand that his eyes finally registered her presence. 

“Juggie ...” she said it again and this time she saw something shift in his eyes. She brought her hands up to his dirt covered face and gently pulled him towards her, welcoming both his weight and tears when he finally gave in and collapsed into her embrace. 

~~~

An hour or so later, Betty managed to calm Jughead down enough to get the password for his phone out of him. She also managed to get him to tell her the truth about what had happened - regarding Levi, the plan they had come up with to catch Emma’s killer and its deadly outcome. 

In response Betty swallowed the lump in her throat and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. She knew that he didn’t mean for any of this to happen, that he was only trying to help, but Keller needed to know this as well. When she stood up to leave, Jughead suddenly grabbed her arm. 

“Juggie?” she asked, stopping immediately, “Juggie what’s wrong?” 

But he didn’t say anything, prompting her to sit down and take his hands again. 

“Jughead,” she said a little more forcefully, “Whats wrong?” 

Jughead looked at their entwined hands and then he looked at her, biting back his words until he found the right ones.

“I - I just - I didn’t” but he trailed off, shaking his head.

“It’s okay Juggie,” Betty whispered, “I’m here, you can tell me anything.”

She clutched his hands tightly and he sighed heavily, returning the pressure. He looked at her then, needing to draw strength from something before he continued. 

“I left him,” he whispered so quietly he wondered if she had even heard him. 

“Jug-” She started to whisper back, but he interrupted her before she could finish.

“- I didn’t even try to save him Betty, or check if he was still alive. I just left him there and ran like a coward.” 

“Juggie ...” she said, letting his words and the weight they carried sink in properly. She wished that she could take away the guilt he felt now, “You were in shock and you were scared ... you can’t blame yourself for what happened tonight ... Everything will be alright.” she insisted.

“We should’ve told someone,” Jughead pressed, “I should’ve pushed him to do things my way. Maybe if I had, he would still be -”

“Don’t,” Betty pleaded, “Please don’t.” 

When he saw that she was on the verge of crying and that he was the cause, Jughead stopped his self loathing parade immediately and pulled her close. 

“I’m sorry,” he breathed apologetically, “You’re right ... everything will be alright once we tell Keller.” 

He said the words as a promise to her and more importantly as a promise to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I started a Tumblr account. Follow me if you want at Night-Hawk94


End file.
